Join with AUSLMAT to “Heal Our Nation”
Sri Lanka imports around 85% of its medical supplies. But with foreign currency reserves running low, doctors across the country say hospitals are running out of medicines and essential supplies as the country’s economic crisis worsens. We are working in partnership with the global fundraising network #MedicalHelpSL to raise funds for essential medicines and medical items and sending them to hospitals in need.
You can help:
KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL (KKS) PROJECT SUMMARY
The KKS (Keep Kids in School) project was initiated in June 2020, with the aim of providing financial assistance to a group of vulnerable children living in remote villages around Tissamaharama in Sri Lanka. The children supported by the KKS project belong to families of labourers, farmers, street vendors and daily wage earners who have been struggling to survive in the past couple of years due to financial hardships. Children in these families are sometimes forced to leave school or earn a living, the opportunity to finish their school education being stolen from them. The aim of the KKS project is to ensure that these children remain in school until they complete school up to the A/Level examination, by having some of their educational costs met by sponsorship.
The cost to sponsor one child is AUD 10/= a month and 100% of donations go towards school expenses such as books, stationary, uniforms and shoes. There are no administrative costs involved.
June 2020- Dec 2021 BUDGET SUMMARY:
|
June 2020 – December 2020 Jan 2021 – June 2021 TOTAL REVENUE |
AUD 2,180 (plus Rs. 30,000 paid in SLR) AUD 4,910 AUD 12,150 |
TOTAL EXPENDITURE AUD 9,726 ( July 2020 – Dec. 2021)
Rs. 5000/= was spent for each of the 57 students June 2020-Dec 2020.
Rs. 15,000/= was spent for each of the 90 students from Jan 2021 – Dec. 2021.
(The balance from 2020-2021 has been allocated to purchasing computers for a computer class)
We are aiming to spend 20,000 per student in 2022
NB: AUSLMAT accounts including the KKS program is externally audited by Danber Financial Services Pvt. Ltd.
Community Assistance:
In addition to the KKS program, some of the sponsors have kindly contributed to several projects, which have enabled these families to earn a living during difficult times. These include:
- Assistance to establish irrigation systems for farmers
- Establishment of an aloe vera cultivation
- Purchase of sewing machines and fabric
- Medical assistance to children with chronic illness
- Financial assistance for vocational training
- Financial assistance to single parent family without an income
Free classes in IT, Math and English
– Via Zoom, conducted by tutors (University students) from Melbourne
See our PDF format here:
Itinerary: SRI LANKA Trip August 2022
Itinerary: SRI LANKA Trip August 2022
Day 0: 16th Aug (Tuesday)
4:00 pm depart Melbourne Airport
10:30 pm arrive Katunayake Airport, Sri Lanka
Stay night in Negombo
Day 1: 17th Aug (Wednesday)
Drive to A’Pura (4 hours) en route Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage
Visit Anuradhapura Hospital
Stay the night in A’pura
Day 2: 18th Aug (Thursday)
Visit Rajarata Uni AM Drive to Jaffna
Stay in Jaffna
Day 3: 19th Aug (Friday)
Visit Jaffna hospital / sight seeing
Stay in Jaffna
Day 4: 20th Aug (Saturday)
Drive back to A’pura
Sight seeing
Stay at …………
Day 5: 21st Aug (Sunday)
Sigiriya / Dambulla rock temple
Minneriya elephant park or sight seeing
Stay in Pollonnaruwa
Day 6: 22nd Aug (Monday)
Drive to Dehiattakandiya (1 hour from Polonnaruwa)
DK hospital visit
Clinic in DK
Stay the night in DK
Day 7: 23rd Aug (Tuesday)
Drive to Kandy ( 3 hours)
Visit Digana hospital en route
? Peradeniya Teaching Hospital
Pera botanical gardens / Kandy town / Stay in Kandy
Day 8: 24th Aug (Wednesday)
Ella train ride (Ella Odyssey) from Kandy to Ella
Ella sight seeing Ravana falls / Ravana caves / Little Adam’s peak Stay in Ella 98 Acres
Day 9: 25th Aug (Thursday)
Ella sight seeing
Drive to Tissa (2 and a half hours) ? can drive through Yala
Stay in Tissa
Day 10: 26th Aug (Friday)
Clinic in Tissa
Meet KKS kids
Stay in Tissa
Day 11: 27th Aug (Saturday)
Drive to Karapitiya
Karapitiya hospital (PM)
– Visit Galle Forte, Stay in Galle
Day 12: 28th Aug (Sunday)
Karapitiya hospital (AM)
Drive to Udawalawe (1 and a half hours)
Udawalawe National Park safari
Stay night in Udawalawe
Visit Digana hospital en route
? Peradeniya Teaching Hospital
Day 13: 29th Aug (Monday)
Drive to Colombo
En route attractions: Padukka hospital (where the freezer was donated) and Pilapitiya Ayurveda Hospital
Stay in Colombo
Day 14: 30th Aug (Tuesday)
Spend in Colombo , visit Ministry of Health
– Port City, Old Dutch Hospital
– Fly back to Melbourne, arriving in Melbourne at 2.30pm on the 31st
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
Please join AUSLMAT to provide critically needed medical supplies to Sri Lanka
Thank you to all those who have offered to join AUSLMAT in helping the collapsing health system in Sri Lanka during the current economic crisis. Government hospitals are fast running out of a number of essential medicines and surgical supplies, leading to the loss of innocent lives.
The Medical Supplies Division (MSD) has published a list of urgently required medicines.
Please click the link to see the Diplomatic Letter with Urgent List.
Many of you may have received direct requests from the hospitals. Surgeries are being cancelled due to shortage of anaesthetic drugs, and lives lost due to the shortage of clot dissolving drugs like Streptokinase, given to people with acute strokes and heart attacks.
Our plan is to purchase medical equipment, such as neonatal/paediatric breathing tubes, and air-freight them to Sri Lanka. We are also exploring the option of purchasing a few essential medicines directly from the pharmaceutical companies that regularly supply Sri Lanka. All items will be sent to individual hospitals with critical needs and the President of the Sri Lankan Medical Association (Prof. Samath Dharmaratne) has agreed to take the responsibility of overlooking the distribution of the supplies locally.
You can donate by clicking the DONATE NOW button at the top of the page.
A tax receipt will be automatically generated for tax purposes within Australia. Our finances are externally audited at the end of each financial year. AUSLMAT is an ACNC registered not-for-profit medical charity in Australia.
Thank you generous contributors (Oct 2021 Update)
The AUSLMAT SRI LANKA COVID ASSISTANCE APPEAL was initiated on 30 May 2021, in response to many requests from Sri Lankan public hospitals for medical assistance to combat the escalating COVID crisis. With immense community enthusiasm and support, we have been able to raise over AUD 196,000 (>Rs 28 Million), from which we have purchases the following equipment.
Donations of the following equipment were gratefully received:
- Four used AIRVO’s and 2 CPAP machines from Monash Health
- Four CPAP machines from Sleep Matters
- 13 CPAP machines with accessories from Austin Health Sleep lab
- Diabetes testing equipment
- Infusion sets from Braun
- Hudson masks from Tecmedic
- One new AIRVO+ accessories and O2 concentrator from SCCSF
- Three (used) cardiac monitors from St. John of God Hospital
All hospitals have confirmed that all equipment has been received, and registered with the respective hospital Inventories. Warranty and maintenance for the equipment sent from Australia have been covered by the Biomedical Dept, in the Health Ministry.
We have assisted the following hospitals:
[1] Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital and Methsiri Sewana Covid Treatment Centre
- Four Phillips G30 multipara monitors
- One Fisher and Paykel AIRVO 2 unit with Optiflow nasal cannulae (x 20) and heated breathing tubes (x 20), mounting tray, Mobile pole
- 10 Oximeters
- Two Optimum Exceed glucometers with ketone strips
- Two Oxygen Concentrators (10L)
- RESMED STELLAR biPAP unit with x5 leak port valves, x5 grey tubing, 6 masks, instruction DVD and warranty card and box of Filters (x50)
- One (used) AIRVO 2 with Optiflow cannulae
[2] Bandarawela Hospital
- One Fisher and Paykel AIRVO 2 unit with Optiflow nasal cannulae (x 20) and heated breathing tubes (x 20), mounting tray, Mobile pole
- 10 Oximeters
- Two Optimum Exceed glucometers with strips
- Two Oxygen Concentrators (10L)
- RESMED STELLAR biPAP unit with x5 leak port valves, x5 grey tubing, 6 masks, instruction DVD and warranty card and box of Filters (x50)
- One (used) AIRVO 2 with Optiflow cannulae
[3] Kamburugamuwa New District Hospital, Matara.
- One Fisher and Paykel AIRVO 2 unit with Optiflow nasal cannulae (x 20) and heated breathing tubes (x 20), mounting tray, Mobile pole
- 10 Oximeters
- Two Optimum Exceed glucometers with strips
- Two Oxygen Concentrators (10L)
- RESMED STELLAR biPAP unit with x5 leak port valves, x5 grey tubing, 6 masks, instruction DVD and warranty card and box of Filters (x50)
- One (used) AIRVO 2 with Optiflow cannula
[4] Kosgama Divisional Hospital
- One Fisher and Paykel AIRVO 2 unit with Optiflow nasal cannulae (x 20) and heated breathing tubes (x 20), mounting tray, Mobile pole
- 10 Oximeters
- Glucometer with strips
- Three Oxygen Concentrators (10L)
- Box of nasal cannulae (x50), oxygen delivery masks
[5] District General Hospital, Negombo.
- Three Oxygen Concentrators (10L)
- Box of nasal cannulae (x50) , oxygen delivery masks
- 10 Oximeters
- Two used CPAP machines, adult and paediatric masks
- Glucometer and lancets
[6] Kegalle District Hospital
- One Fisher and Paykel AIRVO 2 unit with Optiflow nasal cannulae (x 20) and heated breathing tubes (x 20), mounting tray, Mobile pole
- 10 Oximeters
- Glucometer with strips
- Extra box of heated breathing tubes x10 units for Airvo
- One used AIRVO with 4 nasal cannulae and 6 heated breathing tubes.
- Two used CPAP machines, adult and paediatric masks, glucometer and lancets
[7] Dehiattakandiya Hospital
- One used CPAP machine with masks
- 10 Oximeters
- Glucometer and lancets
- Four SK infusion pumps
- Four SK syringe pumps
- One oxygen concentrator(10L)
- One ICU monitor
- One blood gas analyser
[8] Wethara Hospital
- One Oxygen Concentrator (10L) and a box of 50 nasal cannulae
[9] General Hospital, Chilaw
- Two Fisher and Paykel AIRVO 2 unit with Optiflow nasal cannulae ( x 40) and heated breathing tubes (x 40), mounting tray, Mobile pole
- Two used CPAP machines with 6 non-vent masks
[10] Pimbura Base Hospital
- One Fisher and Paykel AIRVO 2 unit with Optiflow nasal cannulae ( x 20) and heated breathing tubes (x 20), mounting tray, Mobile pole
- Two used CPAP machines with 6 non-vent masks
[11] Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya (Sent to Prof Vasanthi Pinto to distribute to rural centres)
- 10 (used) CPAP machines with tubing
- 3 boxes of bacterial filters for masks
- 95 Non- vent CPAP /biPAP masks
- 50 regular biPAP /CPAP masks for adults and paeds
- 200 infusion pump sets
- 250 nasal oxygen cannulae with tubing
- 12 additional Airvo chambers
- Diabetes testing / treatment equipment (> 500 pen needles, x13 Optium Exceed glucometers, x2 fast clix, x2 insulin delivery pens, x2 cooler packs, x3 boxes of softclix (x200 in each box)
[12] One multipara monitor donated to NHSL Colombo, Army Hospital and Kalubowila hospital
[13] Pentax portable bronchoscope ordered for Ratnapura hospital
Partnering community groups:
- Sakyamuni Sambuddha Vihara, Berwick
- Buddhist Temple Daham Niketanaya, Yuroke
- Dhamma Sarana Temple /BSAV, Keysborough
- Sinhala Cultural and Community Services Foundation
- OAAV (Ananda Old Boy’s Association, Victoria)
- Lak Medura Foundation, Craigieburn
- Devi Balika OGA, Sydney
- Lakhanda Media Centre
- Lion’s Club, Dandenong
Our sincere gratitude goes out to all the businesses and individuals who have made generous contributions towards our appeal.
Donations for the following equipment are urgently required:
Portable Ventilator ( AUD 15,159.31)
AUSLMAT has provided emergency medical assistance to Sri Lanka since the 2004 Tsunami, and our voluntary specialist medical teams have visited SL over 16 times since, providing teaching, training and medical assistance to rural hospitals and communities. AUSLMAT has played a pivotal role in funding the new Accident & Emergency Department at the Karapitiya Hospital and establishing the Coronary Care unit there with funds obtained from the Victorian Government and other donors. (Please visit our website: https://auslmat.org for details of our previous activities)
We have continued to offer our support to the local healthcare system in the recent years by providing resources to the Rajarata University medical library and a large refrigeration facility to Padukka Divisional Hospital. Last week we bought four Phillips G30 monitors for Anuradhapura Teaching hospital and the newly established Methsirisewana COVID referral center from our existing funds.
Photo: Handing over of the Phillips cardiac monitors to Prof. Sisira Siribaddana, Rajarata University.
We have received a number of urgent requests for assistance from hospital staff all over Sri Lanka in the past few weeks as essential medical supplies and equipment are mostly out of stock at local dealers. Therefore with the support of the community living in Melbourne, we are keen to raise funds to purchase much needed respiratory support equipment for emergency and critical care departments and newly established COVID treatment centers all across Sri Lanka. So far with your support we have been able to secure four Fisher & Paykel AIRVO-2 High Flow Oxygen Delivery Systems and 5 Oxygen concentrators and this week we are hoping to purchase as many items as our funds would facilitate, such as hospital-grade biPAP machines, ventilators, HDU / ICU monitors, ICU beds and IV infusion sets. The equipment will be sent to Sri Lanka on a returning Air Lanka flight, which will be coordinated via the Consulate General of SL in Melbourne and distributed to designated COVID treatment facilities across Sri Lanka via the Ministry of Health. Our organization is registered as a not-for-profit charity in Australia, and therefore donations are tax- deductible and 100% of the funds go towards the purchase of medical equipment, with no administrative costs.
There are a number of ways you could contribute to our project:
- Individuals wishing to make personal donations can donate using the “Donate Now” icon on our website: https://auslmat.org, and they will receive a receipt automatically which can be used for taxation purposes.
- Organizations wishing to make group donations for a particular item can contact me directly (contact details below), and I am happy to provide quotes for a particular item/s. Payments can be made directly to the dealer, or through our organization.
- If organizations wish to transfer the money to our account to purchase particular items from a quote, please email me the following details:
-
- Group/Individual names of donors who wish to be included in the thank you letter
- Names and email addresses of individuals needing individual tax receipts (with the amount donated)
- Total amount transferred by the group and
- If you would like it to be sent to a particular COVID centre in Sri Lanka
Dr. Erosha Premaratne , on behalf of the AUSLMAT team
Email AUSLMAT team on admin@auslmat.org.
My tel: 0437321105
Raising funds to purchase cardiac monitors for Emergency Departments and High Dependency Units in SL
The number of new COVID -19 cases in Sri Lanka has been reaching new highs, reporting more than 1,700 new cases and 5-12 deaths each day for the past few days. The public healthcare system is stretched to its limits and may have to face even bigger challenges as this crisis continues, with shortages in medical equipment, critical care facilities and essential medical supplies.
Australia Sri Lanka Medical Aid Team (AUSLMAT) is hoping to raise funds within the Australian community to purchase much needed cardiac monitors for emergency and critical care departments for hospitals all across Sri Lanka. Many emergency departments in public hospitals in Sri Lanka are severely under-resourced in terms of the number of cardiac monitors they require to monitor the clinical status of patients, and there’s a growing demand for such equipment during the current crisis. These devices are used to monitor patients’ blood pressure, oxygen levels and heart rhythm. Many may not be aware of the fact that more than a third of patients who become critically unwell from COVID die from heart related complications, such as heart attacks, heart failure and sudden cardiac death.
Currently, 12 Phillips G30E cardiac monitors are available from NexGen Healthcare and each is valued at Rs 400,000 ( AUD 2625/=) and we are hoping to purchase as many of them as our funds would facilitate.
Please contact the AUSLMAT team on admin@auslmat.org if you wish to discuss this matter further. Otherwise, a donation through our website would be greatly appreciated.
Many families in Sri Lanka are going through extreme financial hardship at present, particularly those who rely on daily wages. Some children in these families will be forced to leave school to earn a living, their basic right to finish their education being stolen from them.The KKS (Keep Kids in School) program was commenced in July 2020 under the auspices of the Australia Sri Lanka Medical Aid Team, with the aim of financially supporting the educational needs of a group of such vulnerable children in remote villages around Tissamaharama.
The aim of the project is to ensure that these children complete school up to the Advanced Level exam, by having their educational costs met by sponsorship (estimated as AUD 10 a month, or AUD 120 per year) – 100% of donations will go towards the educational expenses of the sponsored children, such as stationary, school shoes and uniforms. There are no administrative costs involved and all payments are tax-deductible.
The project is coordinated locally by Mr. Hilary Mathiasz, a retired school teacher, and Mr. Sandeep of SVS Bookshop in Tissa.
Sponsors are most welcome to maintain personal contacts with the students they are sponsoring, and receive annual feedback including the school report cards, which would be an incentive for the students to perform well academically.
We are proud to have over 90 children under the program by now, and we are hoping to expand the program to incorporate more students in 2021. Please contact the AUSLMAT team on admin@auslmat.org if you are interested in sponsoring a child under the KKS program.
PLEASE NOTE: due to the pandemic situation, all travel and missions to Sri Lanka are on hold.
The next Medical Mission will likely cover the following locations:
Galle · Yala · Batticaloa / Pasikudah · Dambulla · Colombo
Given the joys and successes experienced by all in past trips, we will open our arms to new attendees. We will be in need of diabetes educators (student-level welcomed), ophthalmologists and optometrists.
All are welcome to inquire as we also need medical generalists and specialists, allied health professionals, non-medical support and translator/interpreters.
Our work will include:
- Ongoing medical education at tertiary medical centres and regional hospitals in Southern and Central Sri Lanka
- Resource provision (spectacles, hospital supplies, medication) in regional health services
- Diabetes education and screening
- Visits to community health centres, schools and orphanages
If you have skills or experience in delivering healthcare, a connection to Sri Lanka or are just keen to get involved in our work, please contact us at admin@auslmat.com.au.
Please note that volunteers pay their own expenses (airfares, local transport, accommodation and food).
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