Outreach activities & Community Services

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world
Anne Frank

Table of Contents

Strengthening the health services

Introducing new leptospirosis diagnostic facilities

Department of Community Medicine conducted an awareness programme on Leptospirosis in Provincial General Hospital, Polonnaruwa (PGHP). This programme was conducted together with introducing the leptospirosis diagnostic facilities to Polonnaruwa district, extending the department’s community services. Former department member and present Medical Officer-Public Health of PGHP, Dr. Shanika Gamage organized the programme. Hospital Consultants and Medical Officers, Medical Officers of Health, Public Health Inspectors, Nursing Officers and other staff members participated in this programme. The current Global and Local trends, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka research agenda on Leptospirosis, the collaborative work with University of California, San Diego and the procedures for sending samples were explained. Prof. Suneth Agampodi, Dr. Janith Warnasekara and Mr.Indika Senewirathna (Department of Biochemistry) delivered lectures.

Mindful Motherhood programme

Mindfulness motherhood programme was initiated by the department of community medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka to promote mental health and wellbeing of pregnant mothers.

Lead by Dr.Thilini Agampodi, the team designed and field tested an eight weeks programme to promote maternal mental health. Pilot and feasibility testing of the intervention was done in collaboration with field health staff and pregnant mothers. The final rogramme is available here for Sri Lankan service providers and researchers.

The full programme details, resource materials and the training package can be accessed in the project web page.
More on mindful motherhood programme..

Disaster response and flood relief activities

Flood relief activities – Yakkalamulla, Galle (22/06/2017)

Flood relief activities – Rathnapura (4/6/2017 )

Flood relief activities – Matara-1 ( 2/6/2017 )

Flood relief activities – Matara-2 (2 /6/2017 )

Health Promotion

Breast Cancer Prevention Programme

Students who are engaged in the community medicine programme launched the largest ever breast cancer programme outside the national programme in Sri Lanka as their public health intervention. With the guidance of the department and special training from the consultant oncologist Dr.Thushari hapuarachchi, the programme was launched to cover 100 institutions in Anuradhapura. Dr.Sujeewa Thalgaspitiya and the department of Surgery provided the clinical care for the screen detected individuals. After the first few rounds, the ayurveda community programme joined hands with the department for this programme.