HIPG funding of USD 75000 for PCR Testing Facility at Hambantota District General Hospital
The Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) has volunteered their support for the setting up of a PCR testing facility at the Hambantota District General Hospital. Key officials of the Hambantota International Port (HIP) led by Johnson Liu, CEO of HIPG, attended a brief ceremony held at the hospital where the funding of US $ 75,000/- was pledged to complete the facility.
Minister of Irrigation and State Minister of National Security & Disaster Management and State Minister of Home Affairs Chamal Rajapaksa was Chief Guest at the event. Sports and Youth Affairs Minister and State Minister of Digital Technology and Entrepreneur Development Namal Rajapaksa; State Minister - Aviation and Export Zones Development D. V. Chanaka; and Hambantota District MP Dr. Upul Galappatti also attended the ceremony along with hospital officials and regional health services officials.
CEO of HIPG, Johnson Liu, speaking at the event said that part of the funding for the PCR testing facility comes from the China Merchants Foundation (CMF), the philanthropic arm of HIPG’s main shareholder CM Port. He said CMF’s mission is to find innovative solutions to social challenges, with a view to making society sustainable and equitable. “The Foundation has always been supportive of HIP’s CSR initiatives and our commitment towards resolving issues faced by the local communities of Hambantota. While our objective is to find projects that have a significant impact socially and environmentally, this time round we believe the need of the hour is to support this project. A fully fledged PCR testing laboratory was a long-standing need of this region and we believe the new facility will bring the much needed infrastructure support to help maintain the health and safety of the Hambantota community.”
The CEO also offered to bridge a lead hospital in China with the Hambantota District General hospital for further collaboration. Thanking regional health authorities for inviting HIPG to be part of this project, Johnson Liu added that as a responsible organisation, fostering the safety and development of the community, as well as its economic welfare was a priority goal of HIPG. He further said, infrastructure support for the PCR testing facility will be a first step in positioning the Hambantota General Hospital as the disease control center for the Southern region.
From Left to right Jeevan Premasara, Senior General Manager HR & Admin, HIPG; Captain Ravi Jayawickreme, CEO, HIPS; Tissa Wickremasinghe, COO, HIPG; Raymond Mu, CFO HIPG; Johnson Liu, CEO, HIPG; Chamal Rajapaksa, Minister of Irrigation and State Minister of National Security & Disaster Management and State Minister of Home Affairs; Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs and State Minister of Digital Technology & Entrepreneur Development; D. V. Chanaka, State Minister - Aviation and Export Zones Development; Dr. Upul Galappatti, Hambantota District MP; Dr. Suranga Ubeysekara, Acting Director, Hambantota DGH; Dr. Darshana Wickramasinghe, Consultant Microbiologist - Hambantota DGH.
