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).