The COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund has been renamed as ‘ITUKAMA’ to attract more local and foreign contributions, which has reached Rs. 1,128 million, President’s Media Division said yesterday.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa established the fund on 23 March, with the President’s Fund contributing Rs. 100 million.

The objective of the ITUKAMA fund is to strengthen the mitigation activities aimed at controlling COVID-19 pandemic and related social welfare programs. 

A special account was opened at the Corporate Branch of the Bank of Ceylon to collect funds. The account number is 85737373. Banking code is 7010 while the branch code is 660. The SWIFT Code of the account is BCEYLKLX.

Local as well as foreign donors have made financial contributions to the Fund. Donations will be exempted from tax and foreign exchange regulations.  Deposits could also be made through cheques, telegraphic transfers or through www.itukama.lk website or dialling #207#.

The management of the ITUKAMA COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund is entrusted with a highly qualified panel of 18 professionals in the fields of administration, finance and banking.

Central Bank Governor Prof. W.D. Lakshman is the Chairman of the Committee. Presidential Secretariat Chief Financial Officer Ravindra J. Wimalaweera is the Secretary of the Committee.

The other members are Treasury Presidential Secretariat S.R. Attygalle, Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne, Ministry of Public Administration Secretary J.J. Ratnasiri, Ministry of Health Secretary Maj. Gen. Consultant Radiologist Sanjeewa Munasinghe, Acting Inspector General of Police C.D. Wickramaratne, Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Sri Lanka Customs Director General Maj. Gen. G. Wijitha Ravipriya, Lanka Sathosa Chairman Nushad M. Perera, Employees Trust Fund Chairman Shriyan de Silva Wijayaratne, Presidential Secretariat Additional Secretary P.D. Indika L. Wijegunawardene, Presidential Secretariat Director General (Legal) Attorney-at-Law Hariguptha Rohanadheera, Central Bank Deputy Governor N.W.G.R.D. Nanayakkara, Bank of Ceylon Senior Deputy General Manager W.P. Russel Fonseka, and former Auditor General S. Swarnajothi. Colombo High Court Lawyers’ Association former President Attorney-at-Law J.M.S.G. Jayasundara heads the Committee.

The staff of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs has handed over Rs. 2,205,448.89 to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday. Minister Dullas Alahapperuma was also present on this occasion.

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera donated his full salary for the month of May to the COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund.

Attorney General Dappula de Livera handed over Rs. 1,326,449.00 collected by the Legal Officers’ Association of the Attorney General’s (AG) Department to the President. Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena, Senior Additional Solicitor General Sarath Jayamanne, Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige and State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne also participated on this occasion. 

The Thambuththegama Govijana Organisation has donated Rs. 200,000 and Minister S.M. Chandrasena also participated on this occasion.

The Government Schools Dental Therapists Association and St. Paul’s Girls School, Milagiriya handed over Rs. 500,000 and Rs. 225,000 respectively to President Rajapaksa for the benefit of the Fund.

The other donations made to the Fund included Rs. 100,000 by the Sri Lanka Air Force Ex- Servicemen’s Association, Rs. 1 million by Major A.U. Tissa Aluwihare, Rs. 5,042,242.56 by Ceylon Bank Employees Union (Regional Development Bank Branch), Rs. 3 million by BOI, Rs. 700,000 by AIA Insurance PLC, Rs. 5,000 by D.M. Padmasiri, Rs. 44,864 by E.B.P. Abeysekara, Rs. 500,000 by Rajiv Jayaweera as direct deposit, Rs. 1,992,900.00 by Nokia Oyj, Finlanda, Rs. 5,000,000 by Sri Lankan Bankers’ Association, and newly appointed Ambassador to Germany Manori P. Unambuwa donated her monthly salary of Rs. 89,195.00.

 

Recent donations to the Fund also included Rs. 4,670,225.00 by Tianjin Rockcheck Puji Foundation, China, Rs. 1 million by Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, Rs. 1,305,736.25 by Jinasena Industrial Parks Ltd., Rs. 37,490,337.50 by China Merchant’s Charitable Foundation and Rs. 100,000 by Mercantile Shipping Company PLC.

With corporate and individual donations and direct deposits, ITUKAMA balance has surpassed Rs. 1,128 million as of yesterday.

Further information can be obtained through +94 76 0700 700/11 2320 880/ 11 2354 340/011.

15 persons recover from COVID-19