Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean with a population of over 20 million (WHO,2016). Sri Lanka’s national life expectancy is 72 years for males and 78 years for females (WHO,2016), and the infant mortality rate is 7 per 1000 live births (WHO,2018). Sri Lanka is undergoing demographic, epidemiological and social transition and is facing a unique situation in which the double burden of communicable diseases and rapidly emerging non-communicable diseases pose many challenges. In addition, Sri Lanka has emerged from a long conflict situation and the recovery and rebuilding of health services in the north and eastern provinces is of paramount importance. Sri Lanka has an extensive network of public health units and hospitals spread across the island. Hospitals in general are well staffed and equipped to meet the growing curative health demands of the community.
Interplast established plastic and reconstructive surgery training and education to Sri Lanka in 2001, and has since supported the development of the Plastic Surgery Unit at the Colombo National Hospital (CNH). Specifically, hand surgery training delivered by Interplast volunteers has provided training at the Plastic Surgery Unit as well as a number of specific hand training workshops attended Sri Lankan surgeons. Hand therapy training for occupational therapists has also been facilitated. Surgical training has also focused on burns management, craniofacial surgery, head and neck surgery and microtia (ear reconstruction). A number of Sri Lankan plastic surgeons have undertaken training placements in Australia with Interplast’s support.
In the 2019/2020 financial year, Interplast aims to deliver a number of surgical and hand therapy training programs in Sri Lanka, focused on areas including head and neck surgery, hand surgery, craniofacial surgery and burns management / surgery and lymphedema management. Interplast is also supporting a number of local partner medical professionals to undertake further training in Australia.
For more details, keep an eye on our Upcoming Programs Schedule or get in touch with us!