Helping people lead a happy healthy life
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Twenty years can fly when you are involved in work you love – that’s how Tharanganie Weerasena looks at her 20 years as a pharmacist, a career that when it started with Colpetty Pharmacy, made Tharanganie the youngest person to own a pharmacy in Sri Lanka. Colpetty Pharmacy started on March 11, 1996 at 374, Galle Road, Colombo 3, with just one other staff member. “From the start, my ambition has always been to help people in this country lead a healthy and happy life,” Tharanganie said.
Tharanganie’s life in medicine started with her father, Dr. Lakshman Weerasena – she grew up around his practice in Colpetty and started work in his dispensary before branching out on her own. Her father gave her huge support to start the Colpetty Pharmacy. At first running the pharmacy business was an uphill task and Tharanganie worked over 12 hours a day. Finally, her dedication and courage helped her overcome the odds and make her business a success. “Being a young woman in this business, it was difficult when I started out. I had to deal with men all the time – if they could, they would have tried to push me around but I had to learn early to stand firm,” she said.
Educated throughout at Ladies’ College, Tharanganie graduated from the Medical Faculty, University of Colombo as a qualified pharmacist in 1995 – She came first in the island and her pass mark has not been surpassed since. She has also lectured at the Medical Faculty Colombo as a visiting lecturer but has not continued because of her desire to concentrate on the pharmacy. Tharanganie is a registered pharmacist at the Sri Lanka Medical Council.
Tharanganie prides herself on an honest and courteous service to her clients. She sells only medicine purchased from reputed drug companies and distributers and does not buy any medicine brought into this country as ‘baggage’ and also never sells samples.
“Providing original, quality medicine will help my customers manage their medical conditions better and will ensure that they will live a healthy and a happy life. Colpetty Pharmacy sells medicine at specified prices,” she said.
Her passion for helping others is seen in the work that she does together with her father Dr. Lakshman Weerasena. Tharanganie, her husband Dr. Asela Anthony, and others assisted Dr. Weerasena to run over 545 health camps throughout the country in the last 25 years. Medical camps have been held from Point Pedro to Dondra Head, from Colombo to Batticoloa. Tharanganie is the chief pharmacist at these free camps helped by her staff of the Colpetty Pharmacy and others. The first camp for 2016 was held in Pudukuduirippu, which at one time was the main battle area, and more than 1250 patients were helped.
She has diversified her business by supplying medicines to company patients directly. Her latest venture is to supply medicines to customers on a monthly basis. This has helped her customers to control their diseases better, due to good quality medicines that she provides. She says “I always put patients’ health before money and seeing a smile on my customer is more than what money can buy.”
Another one of the blessings and strengths in her life is her husband Dr. Asela Anthony. “My husband Asela has been a pillar of support to me – he has kept me strong,” said Tharanganie. “If not for him, I could not have carried on.