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Rare honour for Pramilla
American fellowship for Lankan expert in reproductive health
By Feizal Samath
A top Sri Lankan and internationally recognised authority on family planning and reproductive health who has returned home to help her motherland after acquiring wide knowledge and experience - is receiving another accolade from a US professional body.

Dr. Pramilla Senanayake, until recently the Assistant Director General at the London-based International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), will, on May 11 receive an honorary fellowship from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists at their congress being held from May 7 to 11. She is now in the US to receive the award.

With this addition to her string of impressive qualifications and honorary fellowships, Dr. Senanayake would probably be the only person-ever to obtain three honorary fellowships - from the Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal (British) College and now the American College - in her chosen field.

In addition in 2003, she received the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists award for distinguished service to women's health globally. "I have to pay tribute to the women across the world for this fellowship and everything that I have worked for and been rewarded with," the unassuming doctor and international administrator told The Sunday Times last week. "It is these women who really have made it possible for me to receive these awards."

Dr. Senanayake, who has settled in Colombo after a long international career but still continues as a chairperson for three international health-related organisations, is now helping and guiding many governments in family planning and reproductive issues.

"It's like payback time. I am returning the vast amount of knowledge and experience gained in the developing world -Asia, Africa and South America - to Sri Lanka and other parts of the world where the women's load is heavy," she said, adding that in Sri Lanka she is assisting the Family Health Bureau and UNFPA on reproductive health issues and new forms of contraception.

"The statistics relating to illegal abortions here are staggering. Estimates are in the region of 750 abortions a day which is far too many and must be avoided. This is more like the tip of the iceberg, the real figures are likely to be much higher," she said.

"Many new and improved methods of contraception are now available in other parts of the world and we should ensure that our women in Sri Lanka also have access to these. Before long family health workers will be undergoing training in new and improved methods of contraception."

She said the knowledge of these workers is being upgraded to encompass hitherto unused contraceptives like implants which last three years, have little side effects and are used widely around the world. "It costs about US$ 20-30 (Rs 2,000-Rs. 3,000) for an implant which is placed under the skin in the arm. It is ideal for Sri Lanka."

Dr. Senanayake said the emergency morning after pill and female condoms - ideal as a precaution against HIV/AIDS - were also being promoted. "We are updating the knowledge of the health workers; informing the public and creating awareness on these new methods and preparing the licensing and registration for the incoming products."

Sri Lanka has a high usage of contraceptives with 70 percent of married couples using these methods but still the fact that 20-30 percent use unreliable and ineffective methods and when they fail women resort to illegal abortions - this is a worrying statistic, she added.

Dr. Senanayake, who has worked as a consultant to the UN and other international organisations, is currently chairperson of the Oxford-based Centre for the Management of Intellectual Property for Health (MIHR), Geneva-based Global Forum for Health Research and the Bangkok-based Concept Foundation - on health-related issues.

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