From left: P&S Director Corporate Affairs Ruvini Kariyawasan, Trincomalee District General Hospital Director Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, Sri Lanka Navy Lieutenant Commander Lahiru Amarasinghe, P&S Executive Director Kamal Jaimon at the handing over ceremony at Trincomalee District Base Hospital 

Perera and Sons (P&S) donated a reverse osmosis (RO) plant to the dialysis unit of the Trincomalee District Base Hospital. 

The RO plant enables increased access to clean, safe drinking water, thereby reducing the incidence and spread of water-borne diseases and greatly minimising exposure to chemical pollutants that may plague the local groundwater sources. This unit was manufactured by the expert engineers of the Sri Lanka Navy.

Established in 1940, the Trincomalee District Base Hospital currently encompasses a total of 97 doctors, 608 nurses and attendants and 523 hospital beds, including a specialised dialysis unit, affording care to individuals each day. The dialysis unit has seven beds and treats 14 patients a day. 

The five committed doctors, headed by Consultant Nephrologist Dr. Lakshman Weerasinghe stated that it was a dream come true in his career of three years at the Trincomalee Hospital to receive treated water to this unit. 
The RO plant enables higher efficiency water treatment and will allow the hospital to generate a steady supply of uncontaminated water for both general and medical use, beneficial towards securing the health and safety of all patients and visitors. 

P&S stepped up to support the initial request for assistance from the Sri Lanka Navy and District General Hospital Director Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. The donation showcases their long-term commitment to achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 3 – Good Health and Well-Being and 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, respectively.

The RO is a widely-used water treatment process, which removes contamination by passing pressurised water through a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane isolates pollutants and allows pure water molecules to pass through, while trapping and separating the contaminated molecules. The RO process filters out all possible contaminants, thus leaving behind clean drinking water for use. The RO plant will thereby ensure communal access to clean, consumable drinking water. 

Commenting on this, P&S Executive Director Kamal Jaimon stated, “As a responsible, widely loved household brand, it is our priority to ensure the well-being of our local communities. Clean water has posed a major threat to mankind across the globe and sadly we, as a nation, experience its devastating effects as well. Having access to clean water is one of the most important and basic human rights and we are happy to play a part in ensuring this access by donating the RO plant.”