Fifty years of excellent existence
The Kandy Society of Medicine (KSM), the second largest society of medical professionals in the country, is celebrating its fifty years of excellent existence this year. The Golden Jubilee celebrations started with the dawn of the new year and the annual Academic Sessions were held from February 5 to 8.
The KSM emerged in 1964, two years after the establishment of the second medical school of the country at Peradeniya. As the medical students started clinical training, the necessity for clinical meetings was felt by the clinicians and the academics involved in the teaching process. The Kandy Clinical Society was established initially at the Kandy General Hospital which was followed by clinical meetings at the Peradeniya Medical School. The latter happened on Tuesdays thus the name “Tuesday Talks” was coined.
Prof. Badra Hewavithana
Dr. T. Varagunam, Dr. Kolitha Karunaratne and R. Rasaretnam who initiated these clinical meetings were subsequently identified as pioneers of the KSM. Dr. Varagunam and Mr. Rasaretnam writing in the golden jubilee souvenir, stated, “KSM was a phenomenon that was waiting to happen. The academic and social environment prevailing at that time in Peradeniya and Kandy was such, that the emergence of KSM or a similar organisation was inevitable”.
There were so many who contributed to the development and the initial progression of the society. The late Prof. Senaka Bibile, Prof. H.A. Aponso, Prof. H.S. Kirthisinghe, Prof. S.N. Arsecularatne, Dr. C.S. Uragoda and Dr. Mark Amerasinghe are a few among many others who deserve recognition. Prof. R.S. Watson, Professor of Physiology became the first President of the society. The first two secretaries were Drs Kolitha Karunaratne and A.D.P. Jayathilaka.
The objectives of the society are four-fold. Providing opportunities for health professionals to update their knowledge and skills through continuing medical education, thus enabling them to improve the quality of healthcare delivered to the people of Sri Lanka; promotion of research in the health sciences; building a community of health professionals through social and other activities; and educating the public on health issues were among the priorities.
According to the primary objective of the society, lectures are conducted every Wednesday to achieve the goal of continued medical education. The lectures are webcast from the Kandy General Hospital to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital to ensure the wide utilisation of the effort made by the presenter, mostly with new knowedge on various aspects of medicine. All lectures are not on medical topics, at times non-medical lectures are conducted, which draw an even bigger audience. A recent lecture on Vessagiriya excavation by Professor of Archaeology, Prof. Sudharshan Seneviratne was well received by the medical audience.
Regular workshops are organised by the society for doctors and other healthcare personnel with the aim of improving the quality of patient care. ‘Communication Skills’, ‘Improving Quality of Research’, ‘Counselling’ were some of the workshops that were conducted by the society.
Promotion of research is another important activity carried out by the society. Funding of research, holding free paper sessions at the annual academic conferences and workshops are some of these activities. The prestigious Kandy Society of Medicine Oration, the Bibile Memorial Oration and the Health Research Prize Oration are some other important events held annually under the auspices of the KSM in order to promote research among the membership.
The Journal of the Kandy Society of Medicine is issued biannually providing a platform to publish the research conducted by the membership. KSM’s newsletter and website (www.the ksm.org) are other sources of information for the membership.
Annual outings, new year celebrations, Poson bhakthi gee and Christmas carols are some of the social activities organised by the society annually. The members strongly believe that the strength and harmony of the society is built up through such social activities.
An annual health camp, lectures for schoolchildren and the public are carried out by the society on a regular basis to educate the general public.
At the Golden Jubilee Academic Sessions updates on medical advances and timely topics of relevance to the prevailing health problems in the country such as suicide, impact of meditation on health, current trends in tropical medicine, improving the quality of general practice and quality assurance in healthcare were discussed. World renowned microbiologist Prof. Sriyal Malik Peiris who discovered the SARS virus delivered the oration at the Golden Jubilee academic sessions while the Chief Guest was Dr T. Varagunam, one of the pioneering founder members.