News
Pledge to share expertise and build bridges for benefit of patients
View(s):- CSSL & RCS England seal powerful bond through historic Memorandum of Cooperation
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi
The ceremony cementing the long and strong ties between the surgeons of the United Kingdom (UK) and Sri Lanka was formal and evocative with echoes of the past and promises for the future.
Friday evening witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) and the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka (CSSL) in Colombo amidst a distinguished gathering attended by the Sunday Times.
As many eminent Sri Lankan surgeons downed their scalpels for the evening, a delegation of British surgeons led by the President of RCS England, Tim Mitchell, had flown in from England to celebrate this momentous occasion. They were joined by Acting British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Lisa Whanstall, and Deputy Head of Trade & Investment, Asanthi Fernando.
Signing of the historic MOC: (from left) Acting High Commissioner Lisa Whanstall, RCS England President Tim Mitchell, CSSL President Dr. Duminda Ariyaratne and CSSL President-elect Prof. Ajith Malalasekera. The doers behind-the-scenes (standing) ISTP Global Programme Officer Zuzana Lescisinova and CSSL Secretary Dr. Malik De Soysa
“This is an important milestone in the history of our two colleges and further cements the special and historic relationship that exists between UK and Sri Lankan surgeons,” said Mr. Mitchell, reiterating that he is “delighted” over the commitment to work in closer collaboration.
He added that it is appropriate that this event should coincide with RCS England re-establishing its surgical examinations in Sri Lanka. (See Box)
For CSSL President, Dr. Duminda Ariyaratne, the MOC is “far more than a ceremonial agreement”. It is a reaffirmation of a shared vision, a renewal of a time-honoured partnership and a firm commitment to the pursuit of surgical excellence in education, training and patient care.
“Established in 1971, the CSSL has remained steadfast in its mission to elevate surgical standards, champion innovation and train future generations of surgeons. Over five decades, CSSL has become a beacon of excellence – not just within Sri Lanka, but across the global surgical community,” he said, looking next at RCS England established in 1800.
After the signing of the MOC (from left): Acting High Commissioner Lisa Whanstall, RCS England President Tim Mitchell, CSSL President Dr. Duminda Ariyaratne and CSSL President-elect Prof. Ajith Malalasekera. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
It is one of the world’s most prestigious surgical institutions and its pioneering efforts in advancing surgical education and championing patient safety have profoundly shaped modern surgery and inspired us in Sri Lanka, said Dr. Ariyaratne.
Thereafter, it was a walk down memory lane on the long-standing ties with some of the highlights being – in 1970, 55 years ago, Sir Thomas Holmes Sellors, then President of RCS England, providing the foreword to the first edition of the Sri Lanka Journal of Surgery.
In 1984, then President of RCS England, Sir Geoffrey Slaney, had visited Sri Lanka and held fruitful discussions with then CSSL President, Dr. P. M. Jayawardene, paving the way for overseas training opportunities for Sri Lankan surgical trainees.
1995 had seen a “landmark” event with the first joint meeting between CSSL and RCS England in Colombo, led by Dr. S.Y.D.C. Wickramasinghe and Sir Norman Browse respectively at the BMICH.
Time for a group photograph after the signing ceremony
Further collaboration in 1996 had come when RCS England recognized the standard of surgical training in Sri Lanka by exempting higher surgical trainees from the primary FRCS (Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons) examination. This had enabled many to pursue registrar posts in the UK through the Overseas Doctors’ Training Scheme (ODTS), jointly supported by the two colleges.
CSSL President Dr. Duminda Ariyaratne
The CSSL President pointed out that many surgeons here today, including him, were proud beneficiaries of that programme.
By 2005, the first MRCS (Member of the Royal College of Surgeons) examination had been conducted in Sri Lanka by RCS England, with CSSL serving as the local facilitator.
In 2014, the launch of the International Surgical Training Programme (ISTP) with Sri Lanka being among the first countries to take part had been another milestone under then CSSL President Dr. K.L. Fernando, with Dr. Ariyaratne serving as Director of Overseas Training.
Even though the CSSL-RCS England partnership had continued thereafter, in recent years, the collaboration had experienced a period of distancing as both institutions navigated internal challenges and shifting priorities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Explaining that the strength of a true partnership is not measured solely by its continuity, but by its resilience and its capacity to renew itself, Dr. Ariyaratne said that the MOC marks such a “renewal”.
This had been facilitated in 2023 during the CSSL Presidency of Prof. Nandadeva Samarasekera, when Prof. Neil Mortensen graced the annual surgical congress as chief guest. Thereafter, Immediate Past President Dr. S.M.M. Niyas had also made a commendable contribution to renewing ties.
RCS England President Tim Mitchell
“The MOC is a pledge, not just a ceremonial milestone – to work together with renewed vigour, to share expertise, to build bridges between our institutions and to innovate together. It is a commitment not only to our surgeons and trainees, but most importantly, to the patients we serve,” said Dr. Ariyaratne.
He added that it is also not a mere document but a living, breathing commitment, as CSSL and RCS England are uniquely positioned to lead the charge – to train not just competent, but exemplary surgeons and to inspire a new generation of surgical leaders who are innovative, ethical, and globally aware.
Surgery encapsulates many niche specialties. While CSSL has 667 members, there are 334 surgeons in general surgery. The specialties are: cardiothoracic surgery – 29; gastrointestinal surgery – 29; neurosurgery – 32; surgical oncology – 21; orthopaedic surgery – 117; paediatric surgery – 29; plastic surgery – 26; genitor-urinary surgery – 26; and vascular & transplant surgery – 24. The eye surgeons and ear-nose-throat (ENT) surgeons are not part of CSSL as they have their own colleges.
The CSSL’s female surgeons include: General Surgeons – 07; Paediatric Surgeons – 04 (1 migration); Neurosurgeons – 01; Onco-surgeons – 04 (1 migration); Plastic Surgeons – 03 (1 migration); Orthopaedic Surgeons – 01; Genito-urinary Surgeons – 01; Vascular Surgeons – 01; and Cardiothoracic Surgeons – 01.
Nearly a decade before the signing of the MOC, back in 2016, the first Sri Lankan female Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Melanie Amarasooriya to enter this male bastion had trained under the ISTP in the UK.
| MRCS exam back on track in SLThe MRCS Part B for post-graduate trainees was inaugurated last morning (April 26) at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, by RCS England and CSSL, after a lapse of many years.Over the next five days, 178 trainees from Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and West Asia will be examined by 38 examiners from Britain and Sri Lanka. | |
(Please see PLUS Cover for Dr. Amarasooriya’s story)
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!