Nawaloka Hospitals PLC felicitated the pioneers in the field of Nephrology in Sri Lanka on the successful completion of 500 kidney transplant surgeries to date.
A lifesaving procedure, kidney transplant surgery is the process of transplanting a healthy kidney from a living or deceased donor into a patient whose kidneys no longer function properly.
A felicitation ceremony in honour of the pioneers of Nephrology in Sri Lanka was hosted by Nawaloka Hospitals PLC on June 28, at the hospital premises.
Senior medical professionals representing Nephrologists- Dr. A. L. M. Nazar, Dr. Mathu Selvarajah, Dr. Rushika Lanerolle, Dr. Anura Hewageegana, Dr. Sanjaya Heiyanthuduwa, Dr. Anupama De Silva, Dr. Chinthana Galahitiyawa, Dr. Rushdie Nizam and Prof. Eranga Wijewickrama and Surgeons – Prof. Mandika Wijeratne, Dr. Lalitha Piyarisi, Dr. Ruwan Fonseka, Dr. Daminda Rajamanthri, Dr. Nalaka Gunawansa, Dr. Ranjuka Obeysiri, Prof. Rezni Cassim, Dr. Niroshan Atulugama, and Dr. Kumaradasan Umashanka were present.
Aneasthesiologists – Prof. Anuja Abeydeera, Dr. Vihara Dassanayake, Dr. Vinodini Wanigasekera, Dr. Jayathi Subasinghe, Dr. Lakshman Dissanayake, Dr. S K Sharma, Dr. Sugunadewan, Chairman of Nawaloka Hospitals PLC Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa and senior hospital medical staff were present.
Chairman of Nawaloka Hospitals PLC Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa said that the very first kidney transplant surgery in Sri Lanka was conducted at Ratnams Hospital on October 1, 1985.
“In 1987, two years after Nawaloka Hospital was inaugurated, the same medical team performed the first transplant at Nawaloka Hospital. Henceforth, kidney transplants were done regularly until 2012, under the pioneering leadership of this trio of surgeons and nephrologists at the Nawaloka Hospitals.
“A modern era of leadership began in 2012 comprising a new team led by Dr. Rushika Lanerolle, Prof. Mandika Wijeratne and others. This team performed their first surgery at Nawaloka Hospital on June 1, 2012. Coincidentally, the 500th kidney transplant surgery was also performed by the same team” Dr. Dharmadasa added.
