News
SLCP holds unique congress
View(s):Dr. Duminda Samarasinghe practises what he preaches
Many aspects of the 27th Annual Scientific Congress of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians (SLCP) this week were unique.
Dr. Duminda Samarasinghe addressing the gathering
Held not in the bustling commercial capital of Colombo, but in the administrative capital of Sri Jayewardenepura, Kotte, on the theme ‘Organize and Collaborate for Cost-effective and Meaningful Care’, SLCP President Dr. Duminda Samarasinghe and his council effectively walked the talk.
At the inauguration of the congress last Sunday (June 8), Dr. Samarasinghe stressed the importance of organising data in an organisation to improve efficiency and collaborative efforts across sectors. He cited how the SLCP did so with most processes including badge printing, sending invitations and sorting out research submissions, with automation improving efficiency and accuracy.
Referring to the vital importance of collaboration in developing a field, he spoke of how the father of a child with Congenital Heart Disease, Sushena Ranathunga, helped establish the Heart Valve Bank at the premier Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) for Children, Colombo, followed by the Cardiac Complex.
Underscoring the SLCP’s mission to advocate for affordable and impactful care to protect and save the lives of Sri Lankan children, he said that a “meaningful” approach was showcased throughout the conference with emphasis on education which would transform practices towards better care.
“Even the selection of the Guest of Honour and Chief Guest was ‘meaningful’,” said Dr. Samarasinghe, pointing out that both had contributed to the well-being of Sri Lankan children.
The head-table (from the left): SLCP Secretary Dr. Anuradha Kodippili; Guest of Honour Eng. Nahil Wijesuriya; SLCP President Dr. Duminda Samarasinghe; Chief Guest Prof. John Simpson; and Prof. C.C. de Silva Memorial Orator Prof. Samanmali P. Sumanasena
The Guest of Honour was Eng. Nahil Wijesuriya, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, East-West Group of Companies, who donated Rs. 1 billion to complete the construction of the Little Hearts Building of the LRH and the Chief Guest Prof. John Simpson, Professor in Paediatric & Foetal Cardiology, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, United Kingdom (UK), who has been visiting Sri Lanka since 2001 to provide cardiac surgeries mainly in Galle, through the ‘Take Heart’ charity mission.
Dr. Samarasinghe also pointed out the importance of setting up a dedicated website (Light – www.light.slcp.lk) to provide educational material for parents and healthcare professionals.
The congress which included pre-congress and post-congress workshops, attracted more than 750 registrants from across the country. It featured 74 local resource persons and 17 international speakers, mainly from the UK and Australia. The Scientific Committee was headed by Prof. Guwani Liyanage.
The SLCP, in a first, felicitated Prof. Sanath P. Lamabadusuriya with a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’.
SLCP President Dr. Duminda Samarasinghe felicitating Prof. Sanath P. Lamabadusuriya with a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’
Meanwhile, the Prof. C.C. de Silva Memorial Oration on ‘Ensuring Early Learning for Better Opportunities through Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration’ was delivered by Prof. Samanmali P. Sumanasena, Professor in Paediatric Disabilities, University of Kelaniya, and the Dr. Stella G. de Silva Memorial Oration on ‘Medical management of thalassaemia: Pushing boundaries with limited resources’ by Prof. Sachith Mettananda, Professor of Paediatrics, University of Kelaniya. (KH)
(See PLUS Cover for the Dr. B.J.C. Perera Research Prize Oration)
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!