PeMEX 2015: ‘The Tale of Medicine Untold’
View(s):The Faculty of Medicine University of Peradeniya, which is the second medical school in the country was established in 1962 due to the needs of the country to produce more doctors for the nation. Within three years – in 1965, the young Faculty was able to create a record by organising the first ever medical exhibition for the public.
Since then this had been a regular feature of the faculty every five years, giving opportunities for all the students of the Faculty to be a part of the exhibition preparation programme. Just the mere mention of medical exhibition brings back nostalgic memories in every student who has passed out from this Faculty.
This year the exhibition titled PeMEX 2015 will be held from August 24- 31 at the Peradeniya University’s Faculty of Medicine.
As the Faculty truly believes that the doctors should have innate social commitment, this programme gives the students who go through the Peradeniya Medical School, the necessary grounds to sharpen their artistic, analytical, communication and negotiation skills whilst improving their feelings for the underprivileged and also helps them realise the social commitment that people expect from them.
This exhibition, it is hoped, will increase the camaraderie between students and all types of staff members in the Faculty as well as the relationship between the Faculty of Medicine and the other eight faculties of the University, highlighting the importance of team work and dedication.
As Sri Lankans we enjoy very high levels of health standards, mainly due to the very strong arm of Public Health in the country. Through this exhibition too, the Faculty’s prime aim would be to increase the knowledge base of men, women and children – to be health conscious and also to avoid disease at all possible times.
While highlighting the importance of prevention of disease, this exhibition will help the public learn about common diseases, how to reduce their impact, healthy lifestyles, health effects of bad habits, and how to grow old gracefully.The exhibition will concentrate on specific themes such as eye, ear, skin, teeth, as well as novel treatment options and surgical treatment options in diseases too.
When talking about diseases we cannot talk about diseases without talking about the environment, other animals and insects, which are responsible for the causation of diseases. The exhibition will help the public to recognise the concept of ‘One Health’- the relationship between man, environment and animal in the causation of disease, and how to avoid them and detect them.
This exhibition will be ideal for school children to learn about the human body, its structure and function and will have discussions, education programmes and health screening as well.
Under the main theme of ‘The Tale of Medicine Untold’ there will be 18 more sub-themes and many other activities which will provide knowledge as well as pleasure to the public. The organising committee headed by Dr. Sampath Thennakoon under the able guidance of Prof. M.D. Lamawansa, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the security, comfort and adequate visualisation of the stalls for visitors. The staff and students of the Faculty invite the public to be a part of this grand event and witness the talents of the future doctors.
(The writer is a Professor in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Peradeniya)