Heartfelt need

By Hiranthi Fernando

For children who suffer from cardiac ailments, a new Paediatric ward is being opened at the Institute of Cardiology in Colombo.

The new ward will be ceremonially declared open on May 24, and named the Dr. G.R. Handy Memorial Unit in honour of Sri Lanka's first Cardiologist.

Located in the newly built Cardiac Unit building, the paediatric ward has been furnished and equipped largely through donations by Dr. Handy's daughter.

The well equipped unit will provide better care for children with cardiothoracic disorders.

The new building of the Cardiology Unit has been constructed by the Government. The first two floors accommodate the Cardiac Surgery Unit which is not completed yet while the third floor is taken up by the Paediatric Unit.

To name it the Dr. Handy Memorial Unit, his daughter, Dr. Sarojini Handy has donated equipment worth five million rupees. Presidential approval has also been obtained for this donation.

The late Dr. George Rajanayagam Handy was acclaimed by the medical profession, as a teacher cum clinician par excellence.

When his course of higher studies in Britain was delayed by six years, due to World War Two, he spent those years teaching Physiology at the Medical School.

After the war, he resumed his studies and returned from Britain as the first post -war physician in the country. After further specialisation he returned to Sri Lanka again in 1947 as the first cardiologist in Sri Lanka. He made a significant contribution to the development of cardiology in the country and was the founder president of the Sri Lanka Heart Association. He was also a president of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, the College of Physicians and the Academy of Postgraduate Medicine.

A friend and colleague, Dr. P.R. Anthonis, in an appreciation to Dr. Handy wrote thus, "Almost from the very start, patients flocked to him. His practice embraced the whole island from Jaffna to Dondra, from the West Coast to the East Coast.

"He displayed great prowess in every field he selected. His diagnosis had to be made at the bedside of the patients as he had not the advanced modern sophisticated diagnostic aids that are available to a medical man of today.

"Yet his scientific early training in Physiology combined with his accurate observations made him a brilliant diagnostician."

At the ward soon to be named in honour of the eminent Dr. Handy, workmen were busy fitting up cots, painting the walls and finishing the commemorative plaque at the entrance, in preparation for the opening. The ward is spacious, airy and cheerful. The walls of a soft primrose shade, are gaily painted with nursery figures.

An outdoor scene of children at play covers an entire wall. Bright nursery patterned curtains are being put up to separate the cubicles.

A separate play area is being set up for children well enough to use it. This will be filled with a variety of toys when the ward is ready for occupation. No pains have been spared to provide a cheerful relaxed environment for the little ones who would come here for treatment.

The ward is equipped with an Echo room with a modern Echo Cardiograph machine and a Catheter Lab with up-to-date facilities. The Catheter Lab is also provided with an x'ray machine to monitor the progress of the catheter once it is inserted into a vein. Adjacent to the Catheter Lab is a well-equipped computer lab to monitor the catheterisation of the little patients. In addition, the self contained ward is complete with a recovery room, nurses' station, pantry, changing room and rest rooms for the doctor and anaesthetist on call, hygienic toilets and other necessary facilities.

"During my father's working days here, there was no specific Cardiology ward although most of the patients in his ward were heart patients," Dr. Sarojini Handy said. "One of his colleagues once mentioned to me that my father, on his retirement had offered some money to the Government for a Cardiology Ward.

"However, this could not be accepted for some reason. I promised him that I would donate a ward in his honour. Although he was frail at the time, he was extremely happy.

"When I asked him if he knew what we were going to call it, he smiled and said, of course it would be the Handy Ward. I am happy that I can fulfill this promise. I am also grateful to the President for her support."

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