In its continued efforts to support affected communities in their hour of need, Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, partnered with TV Derana to launch the 3rd rendition of the ‘Dialog with Manusath Derana’ initiative to provide relief to hospitals and affected families in areas under lockdown.

This nationwide response initiative is part of the multitude of projects being conducted by Dialog to support the national efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The 3rd rendition kicked off on May 18 and is scheduled to be carried out for two weeks. This initiative aims at assisting hospitals across the island to sustain their daily operations. In addition to this, it will also parallelly see to the delivery of dry rations packs being distributed to Sri Lankans in lockdown areas.

This response effort follows similar initiatives organized by Dialog during the first two outbreaks of Coronavirus in the country. The first ‘Dialog with Manusath Derana’ initiative saw the daily distribution of packaged dry rations for approximately 6 weeks to over 128,000 people in 400+ villages across 22 districts and the second initiative covered 46,000 people in 10 districts in 22 days.

The entire process of purchasing, packaging and distributing dry rations are done in accordance with the health and safety guidelines mandated by government health authorities to minimize the risk of spread of the coronavirus.

Speaking to the media, Dr. Hasitha Aththanayake, Director of the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) stated “We are grateful to ‘Dialog with Manusath Derana’ who generously donated essential items which are integral for the daily operations and upkeep of the hospital’s sanitation amidst these turbulent times. From the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, ‘Dialog with Manusath Derana’ has reached out to support us on various occasions which uplifted the spirits of the hospital’s staff and patients”

As a responsible corporate citizen, Dialog pledged a sum of Rs. 200 Million towards the upliftment of Critical Health Infrastructure at the first signs of COVID-19 in the country. This hallmark pledge enabled the commissioning of 10 fully functional Intensive Care Units (ICU) at the Negombo Hospital and the Homagama Base Hospital and strengthened the collective effort to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic as one nation.