HSBC with A-PAD extends medical support through public-private partnership

HSBC Acting CEO Kelum Edirisinghe (left) handing over medicines to Ministry of Health State Secretary Dr. Saman Ratnayake in the presence of their partners 

HSBC SL with A-PAD coordinated with the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) to provide vital and essential medicine to the Ministry of Health (MoH). The call by the State to bridge the severe shortage of medicine in hospitals was responded by HSBC SL and A-PAD.

A-PAD Sri Lanka secured pharmaceuticals amidst high demand and existential shortage of goods in the market. This was made possible by further localised partnerships with its platform members. 

Medication administered for Cardiovascular related diseases, Oncology, Anaesthesia, Osteoporosis, and Bone Density related issues worth over a sum of Rs. 10 million was officially handed over to Ministry of Health. These medicines were prioritised from the vital and essential medicines listed out by MoH.

An official handover ceremony was held at the A-PAD SL premises, with the presence Ministry of Health State Secretary Dr. Saman Ratnayake, HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives Chief Risk Officer/ HSBC SL Acting CEO Kelum Edirisinghe, Disaster Management Centre Director General Maj. Gen. Sudantha Ranasinghe, Ministry of Health Deputy Director General of Public Health Service/Director of Communications Dr. Hemantha Herath, Prime Minister’s Secretariat Palitha Wickramage, HSBC SL Corporate Sustainability Manager Dilini Fernando and A-PAD SL Country Director Firzan Hashim. 

Dr. Saman Ratnayake acknowledged the donation by HSBC SL and A-PAD at a time when the private sector has its own share of difficulties owing the economic crisis. He conveyed his gratitude and reiterated the need for public private partnership to support the efforts in providing prioritised vital medicine to the people. Bridging the gap in the provision of medicine is essential for a specified period, until the situation is conducive for supplies to return back to normalcy, he said.

From left: HSBC Corporate Sustainability Manager Dilini Fernando, Prime Minister’s Secretariat Palitha Wickramage, A-PAD SL Country Director Firzan Hashim, HSBC Acting CEO Kelum Edirisinghe, Ministry of Health State Secretary Dr. Saman Ratnayake, Disaster Management Centre Director General Maj. Gen. Sudantha Ranasinghe and Ministry of Health Deputy Director General of Public Health Service/Director of Communications Dr. Hemantha Herath at the official handover ceremony