Coca-Cola Foundation provides additional funding to Sri Lanka Red Cross Society to help combat COVID-19

Pankaj Sinha - Managing Director - Coca-Cola Sri Lanka Private Limited handing over Coca-Cola Foundation’s Rs. 40 million worth PPEs to State Minister Sudarshani Fernandopulle in the presence of Aruna Prasad Lekamge 

Accelerating its ‘Stop the Spread’ initiative, the Coca-Cola Foundation awarded a sum of Rs. 40 million to Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) to help strengthen the country’s response to COVID-19 by providing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for essential frontline workers and conducting a mass awareness campaign. 

The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company.

The #StopTheSpread initiative reached frontline workers in over 96 medical and law enforcement institutions in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Puttalam, Kandy, Kurunegala, Moneragala, Killinochchi, and Hambantota. 

A total of 330,630 items of PPE were donated across the island to strengthen the capacity of over 200,000 frontline workers to combat COVID-19. 

Over 2.3 million people have been sensitized to-date through a mass awareness campaign emphasizing health and safety measures including wearing masks properly and getting vaccinated at the earliest, supporting #StopTheSpread of COVID-19. The campaign aims to reach many more in the upcoming months.

 
Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle, State Minister of COVID-19 Control, Primary Healthcare and Epidemics in Sri Lanka noted, “The COVID-19 pandemic unlike any other health challenge in the past, needs many parties to come together during this time of need and provide a comprehensive effort. We are grateful to Coca-Cola Foundation for once again coming forward and generously providing the resources needed to protect frontline health workers, strengthen the national capacity and in raising awareness amongst people through their #StopTheSpread initiative. 

I thank the implementation partner Sri Lanka Red Cross Society as well.  This programme has made a difference to our national efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. “

Saadia Madsbjerg, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation, commented, “We have supported the efforts of the SLRCS to combat the spread of COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus last year. In 2020, we contributed Rs. 70 million to donate 16,800 PCR Test Kits and 17,000 Viral Transport Media (VTM) to the Ministry of Health as well as essential food and hygiene packs for 6000 plus marginalized families. We are proud to now continue our support to strengthen Sri Lanka’s response to #StopTheSpread of COVID-19.”

Recently, Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka Ltd. also separately donated 4 Optiflow Oxygen Machines worth Rs. 5.4 million. to the Ministry of Health to help support the response capacity at hospitals in Dehiaththakandiya, Ampara, Matara and Gampaha. 

Dr. Mahesh Gunasekara, Director General, Sri Lanka Red Cross Society noted, “The Coca-Cola Foundation has been an important partner in the SLRCS journey of implementing effective emergency response projects and supporting communities during times of crisis. We are appreciative of the funding provided by The Coca-Cola Foundation and partnering with SLRCS once again in contributing to battling the pandemic in Sri Lanka.”