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Silvarrow November 2014 Page 14
Hand it to the healer
Channa Bandara Wijekoon
The history of Sri Lankan traditional medicine goes back to the era of the visionary
Pulasthi and King Rawana. Folklore tells us a story of a King who treated an ailing cobra
on his way to meet villagers to listen to their grievances.
The tradition of treating patients with utmost care and perfection using ancient scripts
such as 'Pus Kola' has been passed on to generations and still prevails in safe hands.
There is also another aspect to this subject. Ayurwedic physicians, monks and village leaders
in Sri Lanka had also brought forward the secret art of self-defense along with these age old
medicinal treatments. Few know that both traditional healing methods and hardcore martial arts are
based on vital-points in the human body.
There is a belief that the Kung-Fu legend Bruce Lee died with an enlarged brain, due to a
Death-touch. In the sixth century, the Sri Lankan born Buddhist monk Bodhidharma had gone to
India and then to China with his knowledge in self-defense.
He had taught this art to Chinese monks in Shaolin temple to encounter their enemies. The
early Buddhist text, Lankavatara Mahayana Sutra has a biography of Bodhidharma.
ITN's Veda Gedera
ITN program 'Veda Gedera' was initiated in 2013 to explore on descendants of this ancient clan
of natives with healing-hands.
The program produced by Amitha Danangoda has progressed towards airing its 75th episode
in October 2014. Danangoda said the program is immensely popular amongst local audiences as well
as expats.
"Weda Gedera was initially aired on Fridays. Our objective was to air a 22 minute program on
Ayurwedic physicians who take forward the tradition of native treatment. However due to heaps of
requests from here and abroad, we shifted the time-belt to Saturdays at 9.30am. We receive many
responses and suggestions to which we heed with a view to adding value to the program", says
Danangoda.
Danangoda and his team has met native doctors of 'Ogodapola' and Rajasekera lineages whose
ancestors have treated valiant soldiers who were involved in the 1818 freedom struggle and patients
with burn injuries. Pus-Kola writings of the former had been passed onto generations bringing
forward these unique treatment methods.
It is amazing to hear and
witness that some
of these Ayurvedic
physicians use smoke
to wipe out
stones in the bladder and make patients sleep on a
bed of sand to
heel mental illnesses.
These
treatment methods directly conNative medicines galore
tradict with the
western medicine
system.
In recent times, Doctor Kumari Wickramasuriya a local doctor claimed she has found means
to cure Dengue.
ITN's Weda Gedera was first to break this news to the world.
Wedea Gedera program was recognized in 2013 at the Raigam Tele Awards with the presentation of the 'special jury award'. Popularity and viewership of Weda Gedera has significantly
increased over the years.
"Other TV channels producing similar programs now, is a good example to showcase likelihood
of people towards Weda Gedera program", says Danangoda. He was thankful to ITN chairman
Anura Siriwardene and the staff for the support and encouragement they provide.
Sri Lanka now progresses in an era of revival after a period of thirty year unrest. Tourism plays
a pivotal role in this decisive phase to put the country on fast-track towards sustainable development.
Weda Gedera program could be revamped to attract tourists who are keen to indulge in Ayurwedic
treatments.
Since this program is being viewed by people in other countries, it is advisable to integrate it
with English sub-titles to cater to a macro audience. This measure would help communicating the
message more effectively to the world.
Danangoda says one main intention of the Weda Gedera program is to change attitudes
amongst the local people towards indulgence in native Ayurwedic treatments. Many locals rely on
Western medicines
because they facilitate a hassle free
nature of consuming.
However in
contrast, foreigners
have realized the
uniqueness in Sri
Lankan native treatment
methods.
Thus now time is
ripe to change our
attitudes and follow suit with the
trend.
channawijek
[email protected]
om
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Weda Gedera team at work
hand-it
Medical Degree at lower cost in Sri Lanka
By Sureshi Pilapitiya
There is a contention among the public regarding private medical colleges that the setting up
of private medical colleges can undermine the status and importance of state Medical Colleges.
Those who can afford, send their children abroad even if they do not qualify for entrance to state
universities, but for those who have no finances but are qualified to enter state universities but have
not been selected , they have to wait without fulfilling their ambition. Setting up private medical
colleges is the solution to this problem. There can be many opinions in society, but rather than
sending students abroad and wasting money and reducing the foreign exchange reserve you can now
obtain a medical degree with the necessary qualifications with minimum expenditure and it also
prevents the waste of money spent on going abroad to study.
Dr. Neville Fernando, founder of the Dr. Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital in Malabe said
that there was no medical institution in 1977. Later on they decided to allow students in Jaffna to
study in the universities around the Colombo area. He, Dr. Ranjith Atapattu, and Dr.Malinga
Fernando participated in creating medical institutions in Galle, he said. The is not aware about these
facts. The Sunday Observer spoke to Dr. Keerthi Attanayake, who said that students from Bangladesh, Pakistan and India also come to study in this institution. The Sri Lankan standard of medical
education is higher than all the
Asian regions. According to him
that is why our doctors perform
well all over the world. The cost
factor also can be taken as one
reason. In other Asian countries,
the facilities to study medicine
and the educational standard is
not so high and their charges are
high. As far as they are concerned they want to uplift the
standard of the academic staff as The board of directors of the Dr. Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital in Malabe.
Pic : Susantha Wejegunsekera
well as the students. The Dr.
Neville Fernando teaching hospital , in collaboration with the Russian foundation is said to be the
largest private hospital in the country. It is further scheduled to be equipped with 1002 beds, and it
is the first private teaching hospital in Sri Lanka.
The hospital has also extended it's services for the welfare of the public by extending it's
services those who are financially not stable, and also to 4000 people who get the Samurdhi
allowance by sparing 20 percent of the beds totally free. They have also provided free transport
facilities from Kaduwela to Malabe.
They have decided to expand the 164 town hall - Salmal Uyana bus route to the hospital and
also several transport services. Thus for customer welfare they have taken these steps as well.
Another important fact is that 75 percent of the students pay for their degree while the rest consists
of those who are unable to pay student fees and having financial problems but passing with good
results would enable them to qualify for a scholarship.. Dr. Sameera Senarathne, director, administration said inion with the Sunday Observer on this subject. He said that the students are studying
well.
They have a proper medical faculty and they have a good academic staff. They have an
excellent teaching panel who are interviewed by the UGC. Lot of people talk about the quality but
they have an excellent standard and quality of the studies. A lot of groups have criticized Dr. Neville
Fernando for what he's doing establishing a private medical college but they do not know that they
have given a lot of scholarships .
This institution is not only for the rich. Students with financial difficulties also can enter. They
have met the chairman and he has given them scholarships according to their academic qualifications and involvement in extra curricular activities. They have given scholarships worth Rs 500
million. He's doing a social service, but a lot of people don't realise this.
The South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine Ltd held a press conference on clinical
training at the Dr. Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital in Malabe recently. Dr. Ananda Samarasekara, Dr. Neville Fernando, Dr. Malkanthi Chandrasekara, Dr. Deepal Samarasekara, (medical director) Dr. Sameera Senarathne, (Director, Administration) were present.
The South Asian Technology and Medical College, which is often referred to as the Malabe
private medical Faculty, was set up in September 2009. It was set up in collaboration with the
Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, to give an opportunity to the students of obtaining a
Russian Medical degree. Dr. Neville Fernando, contributed Rs. 800 million from his private
expenses and built complex with the latest medical equipment and facilities. Though it's registered
as a limited private institution it was set up with the approval of the Board of Investment, The Sri
Lanka Medical Council, Health Ministry and the Ministry of Higher Education. Therefore, according to the gazette announcements dated 2011.08.30 and 2012.09.30, the MBBS Degree to students
could be given. The time period of the Degree is five years.
The main building consists of an auditorium which can accommodate 550 students, other
facilities and a fully equipped medical center is also available.
The courses are conducted by professors, senior lecturers, and lecturers who work in state
universities. From time to time, Russian professors and lecturers from the main Russian university
conduct lectures and give their support.
According to the doctors , the teaching hospital only considers applicants who have the
necessary qualifications and are then granted permission to follow lectures. They act in accordance
with the rules set out by the University Grants Commission.
Dr. Malkanthi Chandrasekara, said they faced many obstacles and barriers in developing
medical facilities and starting Medical Colleges. She said at the Rajarata university, there is only one
professor for clinical training. She goes to Batticaloa once a month, to conduct lectures, because they
don't have enough lecturers. This institution only needs a limited number of facilities from the
Government.
Students who get good results but do not have the chance of entering a state university can
obtain a Medical Degree by entering this institution at reasonable cost, the doctors said.