COVID Fund wound up
The government decided to wind up operations of the “Covid-19 Health and Social Security Fund”, also known as the Itukama Fund, which was established to provide relief to those affected by the pandemic, its Secretary Dr. Tharaka Liyanapathirana said. He said the Itukama Fund account at the Bank of Ceylon had been closed down effective from 18 October.
The Fund had received over 2.2 billion rupees in donations, he said. Rs 1.9 billion used for providing facilities for PCR tests, awareness programmes, quarantine activities, national vaccination programmes, purchase of beds for intensive care units and purchase of medicines. As of 18 October, remaining 216 million had been credited to the President’s Fund to provide for surgery and medical aid assistance, Dr. Liyanapathirana said.