A-PAD with HSBC Support Gifts 300 More Pulse Oximeters to Head- NOCPCO

The Country Director of Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD), Mr Firzan Hashim, giving an enhanced helping hand to the ongoing Sri Lanka Medical Association-National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak-combined Home-Management System for COVID-19 affectees through Helpline 1904 and Doc Call 247, through which the public are able to communicate their health conditions directly to doctors, Friday (24) afternoon donated a stock of 300 pulse oximeters to General Shavendra Silva, Head, NOCPCO, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army for distribution among needy patients under treatment in their own homes or elsewhere.

The financial assistance of the bank, HSBC enabled the A-PAD to donate this stock in response to a request made by Prof Indika Karunathilaka in his capacity as the Vice President of Asia Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health and the SLMA team, headed by Dr Padma Gunarathne, President, SLMA who was instrumental in introducing the home-based management of COVID-19 patients.

General Shavendra Silva as the Head, NOCPCO acknowledging the gesture thanked the HSBC and the A-PAD, all its members for the donation which would help monitor blood oxygen levels among infected family members under home-based management system. He formally received those oximeters, together with the members of NOCPCO.

Pulse Oximeter plays a vital role in the healing process and it has been observed that lack of access to oximeters in time by many due to financial reasons causes serious respiratory issues or even death.

Ms Vajini Herath Gunaratne, Advocacy and Communications Specialist at the A-PAD and several A-PAD and HSBC members were among other representatives who were associated with the occasion.

Source: www.army.lk