SriLankan Airlines to sponsor air tickets for children in need of overseas medical care
ECONOMYNEXT – SriLankan Airlines, the island’s national carrier, has launched a CSR initiative to sponsor air tickets to children in need of overseas medical care.
SriLankan Cares, the state-owned airline’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm, will provide tickets to patients certified by a medical doctor. A ticket will also be issued free of charge to one parent or guardian of the patient, a statement from SriLankan Airlines said on Monday September 19.
The doctor or specialist must issue a letter on the patient’s condition, SriLankan Airlines media spokesman Deepal Perera told EconomyNext.
Air carrying taxes will be covered by the SriLankan Cares Medical Tickets Scheme, he said.
Sri Lanka is currently experiencing a shortage in medicine and medical equipment as the country goes through the worst currency crisis in the country’s central bank’s history. Government hospitals have stopped routine surgeries and are only focusing on critical and lifes-aving surgeries as a result.
“SriLankan Cares is run solely with contributions made by employees and not by the company. We have found an increase in the number of children seeking medical advice overseas,” said Perera.
The initiative is carried out with child health specialists in government hospitals, and posters have been put up in hospitals and wards, creating awareness about the programme, he said. (Colombo/Sep19/2022)
