The initial step in the digitalisation of government services, ‘GovPay’, will be officially launched under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Disanayake on February 7th, 2025.
This ground-breaking initiative will streamline and modernize how government institutions handle payments, enabling seamless transactions through a secure and efficient digital platform.
🔴 Board of Governors Meeting of the President’s Fund for 2025
🔴 Approval Granted for Regional-Level Service Delivery via the President’s Fund
The Board of Governors of the President’s Fund convened 28 at the Presidential Secretariat under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayake to outline plans and initiatives for the year 2025. During the meeting, approval was granted to extend the fund’s services to rural areas through a streamlined process coordinated via Divisional Secretariat offices. This decision aims to ensure that the fund’s benefits reach the grassroots level, providing greater relief and support to underserved communities.
One of the key topics discussed was the issue of surgical delays in government hospitals. To address this, the council proposed facilitating surgeries outside regular working hours and offering incentives to medical staff involved in these after-hours procedures, with funding provided by the President’s Fund. Currently, this initiative is operational at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, and plans are underway to expand it to the National Hospital in Colombo, the Kandy General Hospital, and the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital. These measures are designed to provide faster and more efficient healthcare services to patients.
The council also explored the possibility of broadening educational support for students. It emphasized the need to launch new programs targeting children preparing for the G.C.E. Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations while continuing and expanding existing initiatives. The aim is to ensure that a larger number of students benefit from these educational programs funded by the President’s Fund.
Discussions during the meeting also focused on identifying current challenges, developing new proposals, and enhancing the efficiency of the fund to deliver tangible benefits to the public.
The meeting was attended by several prominent figures, including Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Secretary of the President’s Fund and the Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Roshan Gamage, Professor J R P Jayakody, former Auditor General and MP Sarath Chandrasiri Mayadunne, and other senior officials of the President’s Fund.
🔴 President’s Fund to Provide Services at the Regional Level Starting from February 7
🔴 New Technology and Networking to Bring President’s Fund Services Closer to the People
In an effort to provide more efficient services to the public, the President’s Fund is set to launch a new initiative to deliver services at the regional level through the offices of the Divisional Secretaries, under the leadership of President Anura Kumar Disanayake on February 7 at the Colombo.
Previously, the official work of the President’s Fund was limited to the Colombo area. However, under the new plan, these services will be extended nationwide through 341 sub-offices established at Divisional Secretary offices across the country.
The relevant pilot projects for five selected Divisional Secretary offices are already operational, and the full-scale implementation of the new service model will begin nationwide on February 7.
This initiative was announced during a virtual meeting at the President’s Office to brief Divisional Secretaries about the new approach to the President’s Fund’s services.
Secretary of the President’s Fund and the Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Roshan Gamage, highlighted that the new digitalization and networking plan aims to provide more efficient and effective services to the public.
Through this system, anyone can request financial assistance related to their disease at their local Divisional Secretary office, and the necessary documentation can be submitted there as well.
During the discussion, Divisional Secretaries were informed about the procedures for selecting patients, preparing the necessary documents and the responsibilities of the President’s Fund.
The President’s Fund, currently located on the third floor of the Lake House Building at D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha, Colombo 10, will be relocated to a new premises from the 01st of January 2025.
The new office will be established on the ground floor of the Standard Chartered Building, situated at Colombo 01, opposite the President’s House on Janadhipathi Mawatha.
From January 1, 2025, members of the public seeking services from the Presidential Fund will be able to visit the new office at this location.
In an effort to support the education of Sri Lankan children, President Ranil Wickremesinghe introduced the “Presidential Academic Scholarship Program 2024/2025.” This special scholarship initiative, launched through the President’s Fund, aims to provide financial assistance to 100,000 students from Grade 01 to Grade 11 across all 10,126 schools in the country.
The program is designed to annually award scholarships to one hundred thousand (100,000) students spanning from Grade 01 to Grade 11, covering all 10,126 schools in Sri Lanka. A total allocation of Rs. 3600 million has been designated from the President’s Fund to sustain this initiative.
Acknowledging the challenges posed by the current economic climate, President Wickremesinghe hopes this program will ensure uninterrupted education for deserving students, particularly those with limited resources. By investing in the country’s future generation, the initiative aims to nurture talented individuals and contribute to the development of Sri Lanka’s human capital.
Further details regarding the selection criteria and this program will be announced soon on the official Facebook page of the President’s Fund: www.facebook.com/president.fund.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed financial assistance from the President’s Fund for liver transplant surgeries for young children at the Ragama Teaching Hospital and cochlear implant surgeries at the Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital. This decision aims to alleviate the financial burden on impoverished parents and support the welfare of children, recognizing their importance for the nation’s future.
Acknowledging the substantial costs associated with pre and post-tests and treatments for liver transplant surgeries in children under 16 years old at the North Colombo General Hospital (Ragama Teaching Hospital), President Wickremesinghe has approved Rs. 1 million from the President’s Fund for each liver transplant surgery meeting common conditions. This financial support will be effective from January 1, 2024, aiming to ease the financial strain on families undergoing these critical medical procedures.
President Wickremesinghe’s directive underscores the government’s commitment to providing essential medical care for children in need, particularly those facing life-threatening conditions requiring specialized surgeries. By utilizing the President’s Fund to support these surgeries, the government aims to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder access to vital healthcare services for young patients, thereby safeguarding their health and future well-being.
Medical tests have revealed that over 200 children in Sri Lanka require cochlear implant surgery, a procedure crucial for their auditory development. While in developed countries, such surgeries are promptly performed at birth upon identification of the need, in Sri Lanka, not all eligible children undergo this procedure. It’s emphasized by medical experts that such operations should ideally occur within two years from birth for optimal brain development, yet the cost is a significant barrier, estimated at over Rs 5 million. Currently, this surgery is limited to a few government hospitals, leading to waiting lists for affected children.
The cochlear implant surgery is conducted at the Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital, with the implant device valued at approximately Rs. 3-4 million. Although the Ministry of Health provides the device to the hospital free of charge, patients are required to cover the surgery costs, which amount to Rs. 600,000. This financial burden underscores the need for additional support mechanisms to ensure access to essential healthcare services for children in need of cochlear implant surgery. To address this issue, the Ministry of Health has sourced the necessary cochlear implant devices, while the surgery costs, amounting to Rs. 600,000, will be covered by the President’s Fund. Consequently, the government will fully shoulder the expenses associated with these surgeries, which are conducted at the Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital.
The decision to forgo cochlear implant surgeries for these children not only impacts society negatively but also strains the healthcare system. Despite the considerable financial investment required for such procedures, it must be recognized that providing financial aid from the President’s Fund for these surgeries on young children is an investment in the nation’s future. Consequently, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has authorized financial assistance from the President’s Fund, effective January 1, 2024, with a maximum amount of Rs. 600,000 for cochlear transplant surgeries conducted on children at the Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital.
With the instruction of His Excellency the President and the guidance of the Secretary to the President, President’s Fund has initiated the above scholarship program to identify and brighten the future of the Children living in all provinces of Sri Lanka who are capable of learning, but are in financial difficulties. Accordingly, this scholarship program is used to provide a helping hand to improve their future life by providing relief to some extent and not to stop their learning activities in the middle due to financial difficulties until they obtain their higher education opportunities.
In line with that and because of the special requests received from the students, His Excellency the President has decided to increase the existing monthly allowance of Rs.5,000.00 (10 installments have been paid so far ) from February 2024 for the scholarship awardees of the President’s Fund. Accordingly, we are pleased to inform you that a monthly allowance of Rs. 6,000.00 will be paid on the first week of each month to the students of the President’s Fund scholarship program for the year 2021/2022 from February 2024 until they sit for the G.C.E A/L examination.
Highlights of the Pirith Chanting Sermon held by the President’s Fund to mark the inauguration of the New Year 2024
SMS Alerts service has been enabled for the convenience of patients who have submitted applications to the President’s Fund.
In order to expedite payments for the applications submitted by you for obtaining medical assistance from the President’s Fund, the relevant application form has been amended and therefore, you are kindly informed that only the requests made through this new application form will be accepted with effect from 20.03.2023. Click here to download new application form
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