29 August 2016 12:00 am
Picture shows the Managing Director/CEO of HNB, Jonathan Alles handing over a water purifier to Dr. Rathani Jude, Regional Director Health Services. Dr. C. B. Ekanayake, Pediatrician of the Mannar General Hospital,. K. Indravasan, Regional Head, HNB Northern 4egion and K. Thilageshan, Manager, HNB Mannar branch are also in the picture
An important global public health concern is unfolding around Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu). Over 40,000 Sri Lankans suffer from CKDu at present and there are a high number of (CKDu) cases in selected regions of the country.
An average of 283 deaths is reported annually in Anuradhapura
district itself.
Having identified the issue the bank took steps to engage with the affected community by providing good quality drinking water to the children of the CKDu endemic areas.
Water purification plants with Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filters have been installed in three more schools namely Hatharaswela Vidyalaya, Mankadawala Maha Vidyalaya and Maha Wannammaduwa Vidyalaya in Anuradhapura, continuing the safe drinking water project started in 2015.These schools were provided with the RO filters, clean water storage tanks and plumbing systems, allowing easy access to safe drinking water
for children.
The capacity of the units provided was based on the number of students in
each school. The project was conducted in collaboration with the AIESEC attached to the University
of Moratuwa.
Three awareness programs on safe drinking water and hygiene were conducted in these schools on the 26th, 27th and 28th of July and the school communities were trained to operate and maintain the units.
The water purification plants were officially handed over to the schools by Indika Ekanayake, Manager- HNB Anuradhapura at the end of
each event.
HNB also came forward to donate water purifiers to the General Hospital in Mannar. The hospital is being patronized by public from various parts of the Mannar district who have limited accesses to purified water.
To provide the patients with safe drinking water, HNB has taken steps to donate water purification units to 7 wards at the hospital where such facilities were not available.
The water purifiers were officially handed over to Dr. Rathani Jude, Regional Director Health Services, by Jonathan Alles, Managing Director of HNB on the 15th of July. Dr. C. B. Ekanayake, Pediatrician of the Mannar General Hospital, K. Indravasan, Regional Head, HNB Northern Region and K. Thilageshan, Manager, HNB Mannar Branch also participated at this event.