Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya (AAUP) - Colombo Chapter is one of the most active University Alumni in Sri Lanka. Its passion is to help citizens of the country during situations of national disaster. The highest strength of the Association is the membership of more than 2000 graduates, their commitment and the leadership of Dr. Vipula Jayampathi the President of the Association.
The CSR project was initiated by the Association to support the health sector who were working tirelessly to combat and control Covid-19 in the country and for the benefit of patients by donating personal protection equipment, hospital equipment, medical devices and life saving equipment/systems such as oxygen supply systems for critical patients and other supplies as required by the hospitals and health institutions.
The total value of donations neared Rs. 20 million and the project continued for a couple of months. Twenty-two health institutions consisting of six general/teaching hospitals (Colombo North Teaching-Ragama, Karapitiya Teaching, Cardiology Unit-NHSL, CSHW-Castle Street, Lady Ridgeway, Colombo South Teaching-Kalubowila), five base hospitals (Homagama, Balapitiya, Horana, Pimbura and Marawila), four divisional/district hospitals (Gampaha, Wethara, Ambalangoda and Hikkaduwa) two national hospitals (Apeksha-Maharagama and Chest Hospital-Welisara) together with MOH-Colombo Fort, CMC-Maternity and Child Department, Covid intermediate care centre-University of Peradeniya , prison hospital and Aparakka Ayurvedic Hospital across the country were benefited with the donations of urgently needed equipment.
The members of AAUP-CC and large number of well-wishers coordinated by President of the AAUPCC – Dr. Vipula Jayampathi and the members of the Association joined hands and contributed for the project in numerous ways.
A dedicated team of AAUP-CC coordinated the project liaising with needy health institutions and suppliers of equipment overcoming difficulties under challenging conditions due to the prevailing restrictions to control the pandemic situation at that time.
The support received from the management and staff of these health institutions were commendable and it encouraged the task team to continue the project adapting to the situation.
The suppliers provided the equipment and transportation at very reasonable prices understanding the value of the project.
The Association was complemented by the recipient hospitals with a warm welcome and gesture of gratitude for stepping in to help them.
With the escalating number of infections, the University of Peradeniya established a Covid intermediate care centre managed by the University health centre to cater to the infected staff, students and their immediate family members.
The Colombo Chapter made donations of medical and other equipment on the request of University medical officials.
Among these donations were the wall oxygen supply systems for the Horana Base Hospital and Colombo South Teaching Hospital were most valued at the critical stages of the pandemic to directly save the lives of patients. It was revealed that with the hospital statistics, these two projects helped to reduce the death rate due to Covid-19.
These two projects were done with the collaboration of Peradeniya Engineering Faculty Alumni Association – Colombo Chapter ( PEFAA CC) and the Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka.
