In the latest round of donations by the Federation of Sri Lankan Organisations in Queensland, 36 beds with mattresses and other accessories were handed over to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health on May 17, 2020, for distribution to hospitals throughout the country.
The handing over ceremony was held at the Abeyrama Temple in Narahenpita. In attendance were Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, FSOQ vice-president Bill Deutrom, health ministry officials and other dignitaries.
Rural hospitals have been beneficiaries of beds in a 17-year program, in which the FSOQ’s member organisations have combined to send 81 containers of beds valued at more than Rs. 1.8 million from Queensland.
Various projects, including the popular Food for Beds campaigns, have generated the necessary funds needed to ship the hospital beds donated by Australian health authorities. The most recent fundraiser was a food fair held in Brisbane in December 2019.
With generous community support, the FSOQ is well on the way to reaching its donation target of 1000 hospitals beds for rural hospitals in Sri Lanka.
The Health Ministry thanked the Brisbane community for its humanitarian efforts and a request was made to the FSOQ to continue to assist Sri Lanka in this time of need.
