The inauguration of the first College of Palliative Medicine of Sri Lanka took place last Saturday (9), marking the establishment of a professional body to promote evidence-based palliative medicine and palliative care in the country.
The college will consist of a variety of medical multi-disciplinary professionals uniting under one umbrella to reach the single goal of improving the quality of life of palliative patients in the island.
The College of Palliative Medicine of Sri Lanka was founded by Dr. Samadhi Rajapaksa, established with the assistance of Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella, and with the encouragement of many eminent professionals in Sri Lanka as well as from around the world.
Ministry of Health Additional Secretary (Public Health Services) Dr. Lakshmi Somatunga was elected as the first President of the college.
Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients (adults and children) and their families who are facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial, and spiritual.
Palliative care begins at the time of diagnosis of a life-threatening disease like cancer and continues throughout the disease process until death and into the family’s bereavement period according to the current concept.
Palliative care has been identified under the broad strategic direction of “Promotion of equitable access to quality rehabilitation care” under the “Sri Lanka National Health Policy 2016-2025”. It is also a prioritised activity under the “National Multi Sectoral Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2016-2020”.
Sri Lanka’s first College of Palliative Medicine established
10 Oct 2021
Sri Lanka’s first College of Palliative Medicine established
10 Oct 2021