London Stock Exchange Group backs initial COVID-19 donation with additional funding

From left: Associate Manager – Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Sara Sadoon,  Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications – Sri Lanka and Group Technology Shanaka Abeywickrama, Head of Shared Services Centre, Sri Lanka Arjuna Nanayakkara, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Pavithra Wanniarachchi, LSEG Technology, Sri Lanka Co-Head Feroz Cader, Coordinating Secretary to Minister Kanchana Jayarathna and Additional Secretary – Development Janaka Sri Chandraguptha

 From left: LSEG Technology, Sri Lanka Co-Head Feroz Cader, Head of Shared Services Centre, Sri Lanka Arjuna Nanayakkara, Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications – Sri Lanka and Group Technology Shanaka Abeywickrama and Associate Manager – Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Sara Sadoon

• LSEG to donate further Rs. 9.1 m to UNICEF 

Funding utilised for provision of ICU ventilator (adult and paediatric) to Ministry of Health; conversion of Kattankudy Base Hospital into COVID-19 isolation and treatment hospital; purchase of hand sanitiser and surgical face masks for front-line COVID-19 emergency health workers

London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) announced that it has donated an additional Rs. 3 million to a project to convert the Kattankudy Base Hospital into a COVID-19 isolation and treatment hospital. The project is being facilitated by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). 

The Kattankudy Base Hospital was selected on the recommendation of the Ministry of Health (MoH), as it is centrally located between the three districts in the Eastern Province, namely Ampara, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee, and also due to its close proximity to the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital and its existing infrastructure. The refurbishment project was successfully completed and handed over to the MoH on 28 May. 

To minimise the risk of cross-contamination from coronavirus (COVID-19) for emergency front line health workers, LSEG additionally donated Rs. 2.8 million for the purchase of 10,000 hand sanitizers and 10,000 surgical face masks. Procured by UNICEF, these items have been handed to the Family Health Bureau (FHB). 

In addition, LSEG also announced the donation of Rs. 3.3 million to UNICEF supporting the purchase of an ICU ventilator for adult and paediatric use in support of Sri Lanka’s ongoing response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Sri Lanka. This was in response to an urgent requirement outlined in the Government of Sri Lanka’s emergency plan. 

Shanaka Abeywickrama, Head of Marketing and Communications, Sri Lanka and Group Technology, London Stock Exchange Group said: “At LSEG, one of our core values is partnership, and we believe that this proactive approach to collaboration is the best way to ensure that we move forward together as one global community. As such, we are proud to have partnered with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health to continuously support its emergency response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

UNICEF Sri Lanka Representative Tim Sutton commented: “COVID-19 presents an unprecedented challenge for Sri Lanka making the knowledge and partnership of leading businesses even more critical. UNICEF thanks the London Stock Exchange Group for once again taking the lead and committing further critical funding for Sri Lanka’s COVID- 19 response. Their timely and continued support will help to ensure that the most vulnerable communities including children and young people – wherever they are in the country – are better protected and prepared.”

In April 2020, LSEG donated Rs. 5 million ($ 27,624.30) towards purchasing essential medical supplies and materials, working closely with the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO). 

Additionally, the Group also conducted an internal fundraising program with the support of staff donations and partnered with World Vision Lanka to provide essential items to 1,872 families in the areas of Mullaitivu, Muttur, Kiran, Wattala, Bibile, Koralaipattu, Meegahakiyula and Mannar. Beneficiaries included women-headed households, people with disabilities, daily wage families and those fighting malnutrition and facing other vulnerabilities.