Bouquet from First Lady to Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society

Ridma Dissanayake

First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa signing the millionth application of the Eye Donation Society agreeing to donate her corneas at a special ceremony organized by the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society to commemorate the founder of Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society Dr.Hudson Silva, yesterday. Picture by Lalith Welivitigoda

Sri Lanka's has the best health care service in the South Asian Region, which has also been recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO).This is a significant victory for the country, Health Deputy Minister Lalith Dissanayake said.

"Sri Lanka's health service is on the fast track towards development and the volunteer organizations affiliated to it have to play a vital role in further developing and strengthening it, "he added.

The minister was addressing the fourth National Eye Donation Day celebrations, held under the patronage of First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa at the "2600 Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi Mandiraya" yesterday.

This special ceremony was organized by the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society to commemorate the Founder of Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society Dr. Hudson Silva.

Participating as the chief guest of this special event, First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa made a request to the public to make their contribution to support the visually impaired persons, by donating their corneas. She filled and signed the millionth application of the Eye Donation Society agreeing to donate her corneas.

The First Lady appreciated the magnanimous services rendered by the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society which is contributing to eradicate the visual disabilities from the world by 2020.

"Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society has already donated over 100,000 corneas and 60,326 of this total has been given to foreign nationals," Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society Chairman Prof. Chandana Jayaratne said.

"We have to date, donated corneas to people in 57 countries and the Eye Tissue Bank has donated corneas to 3,763 persons since 1996. The Eye Bank in Sri Lanka is the fifth largest eye bank in the world.", he stated.

The Eye Donation Society which provides its services on a voluntary basis also granted financial assistance for students at the Tangalle Blind School and Sri Jayawardenapura University on this occasion.