Appreciations
View(s):The pioneer of Intensive Care in Sri Lanka
DR. THISTLE JAYAWARDENE
Dr. K.A.T.W.P. Jayawardene was born on November 9, 1928. Educated at S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, he graduated M.B.B.S from the University of Ceylon in 1956. He served his internship at the Kalutara Hospital and then was District Medical Assistant at Neboda Hospital. During this time he married Amara de Silva. Choosing to specialise in anaesthesia he was appointed House Officer (Anaesthesia), General Hospital, Colombo in 1958. Dr Jayawardene obtained the Diploma in Anaesthesia (London) in 1962 and the Fellowship of the Faculty of Anaesthetists of the Royal College of Surgeons, England in 1963.
On his return he served as Consultant Anaesthetist, General Hospitals, Badulla and Kurunegala. In November 1965 he was appointed Consultant Anaesthetist, Cardiothoracic Unit, General Hospital, Colombo. This was a new post created to commence cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. He and five others were sent to the U.S.A. for four months to study Cardiopulmonary bypass surgery which included surgical aspects, use of the heart lung machine, perfusion and anaesthesia. The team were able to study under pioneers in open heart surgery including Dr. Hufnagel at the Mayo Clinic, Dr. De Bakey in Houston and Dr. Denton Cooley. On their return, Dr. Jayawardene was entrusted to plan, design, implement and manage the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the General Hospital, Colombo for the management of cardiac surgical patients. The country’s first Intensive Care Unit was opened on June 16, 1968 with Dr. Jayawardene in charge.
During this period Dr Jayawardene managed to change the impression that the only job anaesthetists did was to “put patients to sleep during surgical operations”. He was consulted in cases of respiratory failure in the hospital and was invited by the Boards of Study in Medicine, Surgery, Forensic Medicine and Pathology in addition to Anaesthesiology to lecture to postgraduates. He was elected a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) in 1985 and was Vice President, Sri Lanka Heart Association for 14 years. He reached the mandatory retirement age in 1988 but was requested to work in a supernumerary capacity which he did until 1994.
Dr. Jayawardene was Honorary Consultant Anaesthetist to the Sri Lanka Air Force. He was a Wing Commander from 1985 to 1988 and a Group Captain from 1988 to 1992 in the S.L.A.F (V). He helped establish Intensive Care Units at the Military Hospital, Colombo; Children’s Hospital, Colombo; the Colombo South Hospital, the Asha Central Hospital and Durdans’ Hospital. Subsequently he functioned as Vice President, Critical Care at Durdans’ Hospital.
A visiting lecturer in anaesthesia and critical care for both undergraduates and postgraduates, Dr. Jayawardene was an examiner for the M.D. (Anaesthesiology) Part I examination in 1981 and 1982 and for the Part II examination from the inception of the examination to 1995.
Dr. Jayawardene was a member of the government committee set up in 1972 to report on Postgraduate Medical Education in Sri Lanka. In January 1973 he won an election to the Academic Council of the Institute of Post Graduate Medicine. This institute existed only for a brief period of time and was replaced by the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine (P.G.I.M.). He was on the Board of Management of the P.G.I.M from its inception to his retirement. He was Chairman of the Board of Study in Anaesthesiology for two three-year terms. In recognition of his services to post graduate medical education, he was made a Honorary Senior Fellow of the P. G. I. M. in 2007.
The then defunct Ceylon Society of Anaesthetists was revived in 1967 as the Association of Anaesthetists of Ceylon. Dr. Jayawardene was appointed Joint Secretary. The Association gave way to the College of Anaesthesiologists of Sri Lanka in 1972 and he continued as Joint Secretary.
Dr. Jayawardene was the President of the College of Anaesthesiologists of Sri Lanka from 1983 to 1985. The first scientific sessions of the College were held during his presidency in 1984. He was instrumental in procuring the Mace, the President’s badge of office and designed the gown. He was elected the first Fellow of the College of Anaesthesiologists & Intensivists of Sri Lanka in 2015.
Dr. Jayawardene won the E.M. Wijerama Award for the best paper presented at the Annual Anniversary Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (S.L.M.A.) and subsequently delivered the S.C. Paul oration of the S.L.M.A. The S. L. M. A. elected Dr Jayawardene as its President in 1991, the first anaesthetist to be so elected. Honorary Life Membership of the S.L.M.A. was conferred on him in 2017. The Sri Lanka Medical Library – the oldest medical library in Australasia unveiled his portrait for his contribution as Honorary Treasurer for nine years. He was a Vice President of the Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) and a member of the OPA Forum. He was admitted as a Honorary Fellow of the Ceylon College of Physicians and also the College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka. The Independent Medical Practitioners Association of Sri Lanka conferred on him its life membership.
Outside the medical field, Dr. Jayawardene has been a member of the Standing Committee of the Church of Ceylon, the Board of Governors of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia and the Board of Trustees, Deaf and Blind Schools, Ratmalana and Kaithady.
For his services to medicine in particular and the country in general, Dr. Jayawardene was awarded the Vishva Prasadhini Award in 1996. He was selected as one of 2000 outstanding scientists of the Twentieth Century by the International Biographical Institute, Cambridge UK. Lions Club International District 306 A awarded the Gold Medal for the Most Outstanding Citizen in Medicine for the years 1992 to 1995.
I have known Dr. Jayawardene since 1972 when I joined him as one of his trainees. A tall commanding figure he was always immaculately dressed, most of the time in a pristine white suit. Behind that figure however was a gentle and compassionate human being who led a very simple life. He was a silent philanthropist making generous contributions to the Church, the College of Anaesthesiologists & Intensivists and the Sri Lanka Medical Library amongst I am certain, many others.
He was a parishioner of the Christ Church, Galkissa. Dr Jayawardene accepted with equanimity the long illness of his wife who predeceased him. The unexpected death of his younger daughter Lakmini was however, a shock to him. After these two sad events, it gave him happiness when the College of Anaesthesiologists & Intensivists of Sri Lanka felicitated him in 2018 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the first Intensive Care Unit in Sri Lanka and a monograph ‘Fifty years of Intensive Care in Sri Lanka’ dedicated to him was launched. That morning he did a ceremonial ward round in the Intensive Care Unit at a function organised by its present staff.
Dr. Jayawardene is survived by daughter Dharini, son Chalaka, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
May his soul rest in peace.
Dr. Jayantha Jayasuriya
Farewell dear Sir
I first saw Dr. Thistle Jayawardene when I was a medical student in the Colombo Medical Faculty walking along the corridors of the, then, General Hospital Colombo. I used to wonder who this imposing figure was, dressed in immaculate white full suit with a brisk walk. I knew he was a consultant.
I first met him as a postgraduate in Anaesthesia. It was July 1986. My final MD examination was around the corner. It was my training period in Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia. I was very excited having to anaesthetize patients for heart surgery. On the very first day of training in the cardiothoracic unit he put me at ease but I knew he wanted clockwork precision, meticulous anaesthesia and legible record keeping.
It was Sir who taught me anaesthetic record-keeping: starting with the preoperative assessment, continuing with monitoring the vital functions and precise postoperative instructions to the staff at the surgical intensive care unit where most cardiac patients ended. Labelling of the syringes was another feature I was not used to at that stage. I still remember an incident where a patient in Operating Theatre C got an attack of wheezing during anaesthesia. The patient was anaesthetized by a Medical Officer and she called me. I was in the other Theatre. We managed the patient and he was fine. I told the MO to record the episode of wheezing in the Anaesthetic chart. Every chart was to be put into a box in his room.
A little while later Dr. Jayawardene appeared in my theatre and questioned me regarding the anaesthetic. I explained I was not aware as I was in the open-heart surgery and I only went when the MO called me for help. He very kindly told me that it was no excuse as I was the Registrar and was being trained to be a Consultant – I should have discussed and told her which drugs to use and though I was in one theatre I had to know what was happening in both places. This was so etched in my mind that once I became a consultant even if there was more than one theatre under my care, I always knew every patient who had to undergo anaesthesia.
One day he came to me with a Leave form and asked why I had not applied for study leave for the exam just two weeks away and my answer was because we were so short of MOs. He signed the leave form and got me to apply, saying he would discuss with the Director to get an MO from another unit. I went on leave and got through the exam. Sir taught me how to treat one’s subordinates and how to run a unit effectively, giving the patient the best of care while keeping the staff, doctors, nurses and the orderlies happy.
He was the pioneer in Intensive Care in Sri Lanka.
I had the good fortune to work with him in the surgical intensive care unit for six months and a year of Senior Registrar training. This made it so easy for me to do the intensive care rotation at the Whittington Hospital, London during my training in the United Kingdom. I was one in three On Call for Intensive Care. The other two rotating with me were a medical registrar and a surgical registrar. Every morning there was a ward round with several consultants from 8 a.m. till about 11a.m. and the night registrar had to present the patients. It was my experience with Sir, presenting patients every morning throughout my training that made my life not just easy but enjoyable and came in for commendation by the UK consultants. When I told him this, his face swelled with pride.
I learnt a lot from Sir, and no doubt scores of others did too. I still remember he called me one day and asked whether I would like to do my Senior Registrar training with him. I was pregnant at the time and he knew I would be going on maternity leave soon. I told him and he said“so what?”He taught me how to be a consultant. How to handle difficult situations. How to conduct oneself and how to uphold the dignity of the profession. Being a Christian, it was easy to understand how he forgot and forgave. Whenever I questioned, he quoted chapter and verse from the Bible.
He shared my joy when I became President of the College, and was even happier when I became the chairperson of the Board of Study in Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine.
Of all he taught me I was only able to give back a little. During my term in office as the chairperson board of study in Anaesthesiology I got the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine and the University of Colombo approval to name the gold medal in Anaesth-esiology in his honour. When I told him he became quite emotional, so to make light of the situation, I said “Sir I’ve made you immortal, because your name will be read at every convocation of the University of Colombo.” I can still hear his laughter. He was truly the doyen of Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine in Sri Lanka. He was awarded the Visva Prasadini Award for services to the nation. He was a past president of the College of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists of Sri Lanka, Chairperson of the Board of Study in Anaesthesiology, the President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association and Vice President of the Heart Association.
An excellent clinician, dutiful teacher, mentor and above all, a gentleman par excellence, I consider myself extremely lucky to have come under his tutelage. He lived an exemplary life. An adored husband, father and grandfather, loved by all who came across him in his professional life. Farewell dear Sir, until we meet at Heaven’s door.
Dr. Shirani Hapuarachchi
A librarian par excellence
Ishvari Corea
The passing away of Ishvari Corea, widely respected former Chief Librarian of Colombo Public Library and a distinguished professional librarian of Sri Lanka is a very sad event not only for her family and relatives, but also to friends, admirers and especially librarians in the country. In addition to being the Chief Librarian of the Colombo Public Library from 1961 to 1988, she also functioned as the Chairperson of the National Library and Documentation Services Board (NLDSB) from 1989 to 1994 and as the President of the Sri Lanka Library Association from 1967 to 1968. She also served as a visiting lecturer of the Department of Library and Information Studies, Kelaniya University.
She was born on June 4, 1925 as the fourth child of a family of five children of Don Bernard Wijesinghe Kannanagara and Beatrice Wijewardana Jayasekara, an eminent family in Bandaragama. On completion of her early education at the primary school of Bandaragama, she joined VisakhaVidyalaya, Colombo. After an eventful school career where she had to spend many years in Bandarawela during the Second World War, she successfully completed the university entrance examination in 1945 and entered the University of Ceylon from where she graduated in 1949 with a special degree in Sinhala.
After a short stint of teaching at Visakha Vidyalaya she joined the Colombo Public Library as the Deputy Librarian in 1950 and commenced her long and distinguished career in librarianship under late S. C. Blok, another giant of the Sri Lankan library field. In 1959 Mrs Corea entered the University of London for her postgraduate studies in librarianship and completed it in 1960. She was appointed as the Chief Librarian of the Colombo Public Library in 1961, where she served for the next 27 years. Under her stewardship Colombo Public Library expanded and modernized its services as a true metropolitan library. Setting up a network of branch libraries scattered throughout the city, vibrant mobile library service, book box services for underprivileged areas,increasing membership of the library, the construction of a new, modern library building in the heart of Colombo, adjoining the ViharaMaha Devi Park are some of the highlights of her many achievements.
Mrs Corea closely associated with the Sri Lanka Library Association (SLLA), the professional forum of Sri Lankan librarians from its inception in 1960. She in the company of other veteran librarians of the era such as S.C. Blok, T.G. Piyadasa, Manel Silva, K.D. Somadasa, Margaret Goonaratne, W.B. Dorakumbura, Clodagh Nehsinghe, S.Rubasingham and S.M. Kamaldeen helped to establish the new association on a firm foundation in its first decade. She held many positions in the SLLA during this period including that of the President.
She was married to late Dr. C.V.S. Corea, ‘father of Homeopathy in Sri Lanka’. Her beautiful residence at Gregory’s Road with a sprawling garden was the centre for many happy gatherings for her relatives and friends.
After her retirement from the Colombo Public Library, she was appointed as the Chairperson of the NLDSB in 1989. By that time the building work of the new National Library on Independence Avenue was completed and as the first task she inaugurated the National Library of Sri Lanka in 1990. Organizing the new National Library was a huge challenge at the time as books and other library resources, library furniture and equipment had to be procured and organized within a short time. A new cadre of staff and the necessary funds had to be obtained from the Treasury, which was a huge challenge at the time. We spent many hours explaining the role of the National Library to the higher officials and her charm and reputation won many hard battles for the national library. She was the only professional librarian who headed the NLDSB during its almost 50-year existence and the results were remarkable.
Establishing different services of the new National Library, recruiting and training the new cadre for the library,introducing the new institution to the public, formulation of the present NLDSB Act, commencing library automation, improving the National Bibliography and Bibliographic Services, initiating the Retrospective National Bibliography (1737-1962), collecting rare books, launching documentation services, formulating Library Standards for public, school and other library services, expanding library education and training services, compilation of Authority Files of Sri Lankan authors, establishing a close rapport with the country’s research and academic community, publication programmes and maintaining close ties with UNESCO, IFLA and other international and regional forums are some of the landmark achievements during this period.Due to her long association with the Colombo Municipal Council she had a close affinity with many leading politicians of all parties at the time which helped the NLDSB and the library and information field in many ways.
Mrs. Corea has a number of publications to her credit including ‘A Manual for Public Libraries in Sri Lanka’, ‘Libraries and People’ and ‘Glimpses of Colombo’ along with a range of professional articles.
As a devoted Buddhist she engaged in many religious activities and had links with a number of leading temples in the country. During the past six years she lived with her nephew Indrajith Wickramasinghe and his wife Swinitha who cared for her lovingly making her final years comfortable and pleasant.
May she attain Nibbana.
Upali Amarasiri