(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – A group of 17 medical professionals of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) from the UK, Australia, Canada, Norway, the US, France, Bahrain and Germany together with the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement and local doctors assisted flood victims in Kalutara and Matara Districts from 2nd to 10th July.
During the program, approximately 780 patients were given medical, dental and ophthalmological treatment that included a children’s home and orphanage. 300 pairs of reading glasses and sunglasses were also gifted to people by the doctors.
Accordingly, the Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake was joined by the Ministers Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Mangala Samaraweera, D.M. Swaminathan, Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan, and MP M.A. Sumanthiran, at a ceremony at the Foreign Ministry on 11th July to felicitate Sarvodaya and the group of medical professionals. Representatives from diplomatic Missions of Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Norway, the UK, the US, South Africa and Switzerland, as well as USAID also participated at the event.
Minister Karunanayake conveyed his appreciation to the doctors for assisting the flood affected communities, while also helping to build bridges between communities in Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement.
He acknowledged and appreciated the support extended to the program by the Governments of Norway and Switzerland and by UNICEF. He also thanked Health Minister Rajitha Seneratne and his officials for facilitating the project at short notice, enabling the doctors to carry out their work in accordance with the Medical Council regulations.
The Minister thanked the GTF for inspiring people of Sri Lankan origin outside Sri Lanka, to undertake an important journey with the people of Sri Lanka, and with the government, through this project, and expressed the hope that they would continue to work as partners on taking the country towards peace, stability and progress.