We feel secure in Lanka - Duncan Pedersen

By Nadira Gunatilleke

Although there is a conflict going on, we felt very secure here in Sri Lanka and did not face any problems or feel insecure while travelling. We received a very warm welcome from wherever we went during our stay. It is a wonderful opportunity to be here in Sri Lanka and we are very pleased, said Duncan Pedersen, MD, MPH, Assistant Scientific Director, International Programmes, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Canada.

He was addressing a special press briefing at the Institute of Psychiatry, Angoda Teaching Hospital yesterday at the conclusion of a week-long training program for local mental health medical staff. He said that they visited the South to inspect the tsunami affected mental patients and all the site visits were very successful.

Explaining the main objective of the program he pointed out that although mental health is a very important area it was neglected in the past. This initiative is very important because it strengthened and developed the mental health sector. "We assist the local authorities in health and education sector to upgrade this important area", he added.

Laurence J. Kirmayer, MD, Prof. James McGill University, said that it was a wonderful opportunity to be in Sri Lanka and the trainers and the participants were able to learn from one an other. "We were able to see how culture shaped mental health problems. We began to build future collaboration", he said.

Dr. Jayan Mendis, Director of Institute of Psychiatry, Angoda Teaching Hospital said that the Angoda Mental Hospital began as a `Lunatic Asylum' and remained virtually unchanged for many years. It is in the process of being developed into a modern psychiatric hospital and a centre for training of all disciplines involved in mental health. Over the past year the institute has developed various programs with the help of local and regional trainers. The training carried out by the team from McGill University is important because this is the first time that the institute organised a training program with International collaboration.

The press conference was held at the end of the Mental health practice and research training courses and workshops, a week-long program held at the Institute of Psychiatry, Angoda Teaching Hospital. It was conducted by academic and clinical staff of McGill University, Montreal, Canada in association with local psychiatrists and researchers.

Dr.Harischandra Gambeera, President, College of Psychiatrists, said that although Sri Lanka produced 120 consultant Psychiatrists, they had to go abroad for one-year training which is compulsory under the earlier rules and regulations. The result was only 20 of them returned while the others stayed back in foreign countries. Now the compulsory one-year foreign training has been relaxed to solve this problem but those who wish to obtain foreign training are allowed to do so. The training conducted by the Canadian trainers is very significant because capacity building is very important in this sector.

Dr. Suman Fernando, Consultant to the Sri Lanka Program in the McGill Trauma and Global Health (TGA) Programme of research and capacity building, Chaminda Weerakkody, Sri Lanka Program in the Mcgill Trauma and Global Health (TGA) Program of research and capacity building and few others also spoke.