Sampath Bank donates Rs. 50 Mn to 1990 Suwa Seriya’s ‘Adopt an Ambulance’ initiative

Sampath Bank’s Managing Director, Nanda Fernando (Center) and Ayodhya Iddawela Perera, Managing Director – Designate hand over a cheque of Rs.50 million to support the foundation’s ‘Adopt an Ambulance’ project to Sohan De Silva, CEO 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation and Dumindra Ratnayaka, Chairman1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation whilst members from the Bank’s Corporate Management look on.

Sampath Bank has handed over a cheque of Rs. 50 million to support the 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation’s ‘Adopt an Ambulance’ project. With this timely donation under its ‘Hope for a Life’ CSR programme, Sampath Bank’s contribution will fund the maintenance of 10 Suwa Seriya ambulances in all nine provinces.

One of Sampath Bank’s key CSR focus areas is extending health assistance to the community and this donation by the Bank will enable Suwa Seriya to maintain and improve the services of its 1990 ambulance network for providing lifesaving emergency medical assistance in Sri Lanka.

The 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation introduced the ‘Adopt an Ambulance’ initiative to secure private sector funding to sustain the services it offers, as the government’s assistance for Suwa Seriya was impeded due to financial constraints brought on by the economic crisis in the country. The 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation provides pre-hospital care ambulance services and emergency response services free of charge to any person.

The ‘Hope for a Life’ CSR flagship programme has inspired Sampath Bank to make a significant contribution to health care in the country over the years. In the past, the Bank has donated a Neuro Navigator to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka at an investment of Rs. 49.7 million which enabled neurosurgeons to conduct more operations per day to reduce the waiting list.

Further, in 2020, Sampath Bank stepped in to assist the nation’s fight against COVID-19 and jointly with CBL Group and WSO2 donated a fully equipped PCR laboratory to the Army Hospital in Colombo amounting to Rs. 32 million.

Closely engaged with local communities, Sampath Bank has also conducted various community empowering initiatives under its CSR flagship projects.