More than 4,400 Sri Lankans, most of them from rural areas, were provided free access to doctors in 2018 under a corporate social responsibility initiative of Ceylinco Life.
Titled ‘Waidya Hamuwa’ (Meet the doctor), the programme, in its 15th year, conducted 24 free medical and diagnostic camps across Sri Lanka, deploying a team of doctors, nurses and medical technicians with funding from the life insurance leader.
Besides undergoing a check by the doctors, attendees were offered free health screening comprising of tests such as Body Mass Index (BMI), blood sugar, blood pressure, vision and where necessary, ECG. Special care was given to those who attended the medical camps conducted in the North Central province, who were also screened for kidney diseases with urine protein tests, the Company said.
In some instances, the attendees were seeing a doctor practicing western medicine for the first time, and the team also recorded cases of middle-aged persons undergoing an ECG for the first time.
The 24 ‘Waidya Hamuwa’ medical camps of 2018 took place at Aluthwala, Anuradhapura, Badureliya Temple, Colombo Public Library, Dankotuwa, Dehiattakandiya, Ganegama Temple, Halwella, Kaluthota, Medamullana, Mahamevnawa Asapuwa, Mandaram Nuwara, Moratuwa, Nikaweratiya, Pilana, Poonewa, Ranna, Siyambalanduwa, Soragune Primary School, Talawa, Weboda, Wahalkada, Welimada and Wilachchiya.
Commenting on the completion of these medical camps, Ceylinco Life Managing Director Mr Thushara Ranasinghe said: “Our 30 plus years in life insurance and our island-wide presence give us a unique insight into the pressing issues affecting the lives of the masses. Providing underserved communities adequate access to medical care is one of the biggest challenges facing our country, and we know that this programme has helped save many lives over the years, justifying our continuing commitment to it.”
To date, Ceylinco Life has reached approximately 142,000 people through its ‘Waidya Hamuwa’ initiative via camps held in 375 locations across the country. These medical camps were conducted by qualified and experienced doctors and nursing staff attached to the state health sector and private laboratories, the Company said.
Ceylinco Life defines its Corporate Social Responsibility as ‘The continuing commitment of the company to create a sustainable business environment even in the remotest areas of the country through meaningful interventions in areas such as healthcare and education for needy people, while providing protection and financial security of the highest quality.”
Education is also a primary focus in Ceylinco Life’s community efforts. The company has built and donated 74 classroom buildings to needy schools over the past 14 years.
Adjudged Sri Lanka’s Best Life Insurer in 2018 for the fifth consecutive year by World Finance, Ceylinco Life has been the market leader in Sri Lanka’s life insurance industry for 15 of the 31 years it has been in operation. The Company has close to a million lives covered by active policies and is acknowledged as a benchmark in the local insurance industry for innovation, product research and development, customer service, professional development and corporate social responsibility.
