Business
Journey of a Medical Consultant who walked an arduous path to serve the common man – Part 2
After her tenure at the Polonnaruwa Base Hospital, she held the position of Consultant Physician at the Colombo North Teaching Hospital in Ragama, where she conducted extensive research on alcohol and drug dependence as well as leptospirosis. Thereafter she dedicated 22 years of her career to the Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital before retiring in 2015, after 42 years of service to the government of Sri Lanka. She is currently practicing as a senior consultant physician at Asiri Medical Hospital in Colombo. As of now she has dedicated over fifty years to her career in the medical field.
She was chosen to present six medical orations and made history as the first woman to deliver the S.C. Paul oration with her talk titled “Malaria – The Scourge of Polonnaruwa.” Additionally, she received the Wijerama award for the best scientific paper at the centenary congress of the SLMA for her presentation on “Neurological Complications of Malaria in the Polonnaruwa District.” In this paper she noted febrile fits, acute cerebellar syndrome, toxic confusional state, cerebral malaria, Guillain-Barre syndrome, extra pyramidal tremor, delayed psychosis, as reversible myopathy neurological complications due to malaria.
I had the privilege of attending the Deshabandu Dr. C.G. Uragoda MBBS(Ceylon), MD(Ceylon), Honorary D.Sc (Colombo), FRCP (Edinburgh) and FRCP (Glasgow) Oration on the History of Medicine, titled “History of Malaria in Sri Lanka: The Scourge of Nine Centuries,” delivered by Dr. Anula Wijesundere on February 26, 2025, at the Lionel Memorial Auditorium, Sri Lanka Medical Association. It is quite remarkable to observe that both Deshbandu Dr. C.G. Uragoda and my late father, Dr. D.V.H. Silva, were born in the same year, 1928. They both attended Mahinda College in Galle and Ananda College in Colombo concurrently, and they also enrolled in the Colombo Medical Faculty at the same time, although they later pursued different medical specialties.
During the Deshabandu Dr. C.G. Uragoda Oration, Dr Anula Wijesundere commented that malaria could be a potentially fatal disease if diagnosis and treatment are delayed. Dr. Anula Wijesundere provided a comprehensive overview of malaria’s history from a global perspective, detailing its spread. She systematically outlined the measures implemented to limit the transmission of the disease by controlling mosquito populations and reducing human contact with these vectors, employing both chemical and non-chemical strategies.
She said in the years 1986 to 1988 Sri Lanka experienced malaria as an epidemic and was the leading cause of all government hospital admissions. She said that during this period in Polonnaruwa 30% of hospital admissions were due to malaria. During this period, she conducted extensive research on malaria patients.
(To be Continued)
By Dharshan Silva
CEO, Abans Finance PLC
Continued from Yesterday
In a significant move for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, NKAR, a stalwart in the industry for over 45 years, has announced a partnership with Holiday Max, Australia’s largest tour operator. Based in Perth, Holiday Max has ventured into Sri Lanka for the first time, marking a promising expansion for both entities.
This collaboration aligns with NKAR’s strategic vision to enhance the country’s appeal to international travelers. Nilmin Nanayakkara, Chairman and Managing Director of NKAR says, “Our policy has always been to promote Sri Lanka to new markets by attracting new operators, rather than competing through price undercutting or making unrealistic promises.” This statement encapsulates NKAR’s commitment to fostering sustainable tourism growth by focusing on quality over cost.
By prioritsing service excellence and maintaining high health and safety standards, NKAR aims to elevate the overall travel experience for visitors. This approach not only positions Sri Lanka as a premium destination but also attracts reputable operators like Holiday Max, who are drawn to the island’s unique experiences and NKAR’s dedication to quality service.
The partnership represents a remarkable opportunity to showcase Sri Lanka’s diverse offerings to Australian travelers, potentially opening new avenues for tourism growth. As NKAR continues to innovate and adapt, this collaboration is set to bolster Sri Lanka’s standing as a sought-after travel destination, steering the industry away from aggressive price competition towards sustainable growth through authentic experiences.
By focusing on attracting new operators and markets, NKAR is paving the way for a revitalised tourism landscape in Sri Lanka, one that values quality, safety, and the unique charm of the island. NKAR is recognised as one of the top five destination management companies in Sri Lanka. The company recently won 3 major awards at Sri Lanka Tourism Awards.
By Sanath Nanayakkare
LOLC Finance secured five Gold Awards and one Merit Award at the LankaPay Technovation Awards 2025, including the prestigious Overall Excellence in Digital Payments Gold Award for the sixth consecutive year.
The company dominated both bank and NBFI categories, winning Best Digital Strategy Gold Award, proving its superiority over traditional banks in digital finance.
Awards won were as follows.
Gold Awards:
Best Digital Payment Strategy (Banks & NBFI)
Best Mobile Application for Retail Payments via JustPay (Banks & NBFI)
Excellence in Customer Convenience (NBFI)
Financial Inclusivity (NBFI)
Overall Excellence in Digital Payments (NBFI)
Merit Award: Most Popular Digital Payment Product (iPay)
CEO Krishan Thilakaratne emphasized digitalization as core to LOLC Finance’s operations, enabling seamless, 24/7 financial access through platforms like LOLC Real Time and iPay.
Chairman Conrad Dias highlighted the audited, performance-based recognition and iPay’s mission to solve real-world financial challenges with cutting-edge tech.
iPay & JustPay innovations were Recognized for leading digital payment adoption with 1M+ downloads, 1.8M monthly transactions, and 65% JustPay market share, featuring biometric security and AI fraud detection.
Financial Inclusivity was recognized for Bridging gaps via multi-lingual services, cashless processes, and rural outreach programs.
Customer Convenience was recognized for real-time solutions (SLIPS, CEFTS) eliminating branch visits for payments and transfers.
Tree House International, located in Dehiwala, has been recognised as the Most Evidence-Based Special Needs School of the Year at BWIO Awards. The only international school in Sri Lanka dedicated exclusively to children with special needs, 75% of its students relocate from abroad for its high-quality, result-driven education.
Last semester, 100% of students transitioned to mainstream or vocational training.
The school is led by Dr. Anton James, a Chartered Behavioural Psychologist with over 20 years of global experience.
His evidence-based approach earned the highest honour from the British Psychological Society, and he was elected a Chartered Scientist. Co-directed by Chrystal Honsaker, an expert with 15 years of international special needs experience, the school also offers an accredited British curriculum alternative to GCSEs.
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