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Women’s well-being at very heart of congress
View(s):- Collective effort helped Sri Lanka maintain lowest maternal and perinatal mortality rates in South Asia, says SLCOG President
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi
The safety and well-being of women were at the very heart of the 58th Annual Academic Congress of the Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SLCOG) recently, when they deliberated on ‘Improving reproductive health of women—challenges and opportunities: An evidence-based approach’.
Dr S.P. Akmeemana
Reiterating that it was not merely an annual theme, SLCOG President Dr S.P. Akmeemana said it was a guiding light for them.
Sri Lanka’s achievements in the healthcare field are the result of a collective effort, encompassing the SLCOG’s Fellows and Members, colleagues and peers, the primary healthcare sector, the Family Health Bureau (FHB), the Health Ministry and the government, he said, pointing out that resilience and collective effort have enabled the overcoming of major challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn.
It was with pride tinged with humility that Dr Akmeemana said: “We have been able to persevere and move forward. It is a matter of pride that Sri Lanka continues to maintain the lowest maternal and perinatal mortality rates in the South Asian region, with a maternal mortality ratio of 25 per 100,000 live births and a neonatal mortality rate of 6.8% as per the 2024 statistics of the FHB.”
Prof. Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran
He said that as the 39th SLCOG President, he has had the privilege of witnessing the dedication and hard work which have enabled the achievement of several significant milestones.
Highlighting a major component of SLCOG work, he said that it is the ‘Safe Motherhood Programme’ held annually at selected hospitals around Sri Lanka. This year, it was conducted at the Moneragala, Vavuniya and Ampara Hospitals.
Delving into the programme, Dr Akmeemana said each hospital is selected after careful consideration, with the goal of uplifting its resources and enhancing the knowledge of healthcare workers from grass-root level upwards. The staff, including midwives, both in the field and at hospitals, nurses and higher, is given an overview of obstetrics and gynaecology as well as the basics in handling an obstetric emergency. A hands-on experience is provided to each category of healthcare workers depending on what role they would play in an emergency.
Prof. Probhodana Ranaweera
He went on to explain that the SLCOG has also conducted seven Essential Obstetric Care (EOC) ‘at your doorstep’ programmes, reaching a wide range of hospitals across the country, which contribute to improved patient care and operational efficiency.
“We have also supported the Health Ministry and the FHB in policy formulation, while helping to develop guidelines to create uniformity in care throughout the country,” he added.
The inauguration was graced by chief guest Prof. Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, past president of the British Medical Association and the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO); Guest of Honour Prof. Tsung Hsien Su, president-elect of the Asia & Oceania Federation of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (AOFOG); and special guests Dr Gillian Gibson, President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) & Dr Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).
- At the head table (from the left): SLCOG Chairman of Academic Activities, Dr A. Sritharan; Orator Prof. Probhodana Ranaweera; Dr Ranee Thakar; Prof. Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran; SLCOG Patron Dr (Mrs) Marlene Abeywardene; SLCOG President Dr S.P. Akmeemana; Prof. Tsung Hsien Su; Dr Gillian Gibson; and SLCOG Secretary Dr Achintha Dissanayake Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
| Rosebud bereavement service, the oration The Prof. D.A. Ranasinghe Memorial Oration on the ‘Rosebud bereavement service’ at the De Soysa Hospital for Women, Colombo, was delivered by Prof. Probhodana Ranaweera. The oration showcased how the hospital is providing dignity, choice and respect not just to mothers who face stillbirths but also to their families. Explaining how there has been a shift ‘from grief to grace’, Prof. Ranaweera said, “More than 90% of women who experienced stillbirth in our unit are returning to the unit in their subsequent pregnancies and have a special bond with the staff.” The unit’s efforts had resulted in Prof. Ranaweera being invited by the SLCOG to develop a guideline for the management of stillbirths, which he co-authored with Prof. M.R.M. Rishard. Inputs had also been sought from colleagues in the fields of neonatology and paediatrics, community medicine and medical administration. The five-chapter ‘Sri Lanka National Bereavement Care Guideline’ focuses on respectful and supportive bereavement care; stillbirths and early neonatal deaths; neonatal, infant and child deaths; bereavement care for Public Health Midwives (PHMs); and the role of administrators in bereavement care in field and hospital settings. | |
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