CMC's mercy mission for perfect vision

By Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Provision of medical care for people of the under-privileged settlements in Colombo city has become one of the most challenging tasks for the Colombo Municipal Council, despite the fact that many in Colombo have easy access to major hospitals in the city.

The free medical clinics of the Health Curative Department, of the Colombo Municipal Council cater to an average of 3,500 patients daily thus reducing the rush at the Out Patient Department of the Colombo National Hospital and other hospitals.

But when it comes to eye surgeries and other special medical needs the city dwellers especially those from low income groups have to be on the long waiting lists in state hospitals to get in done free.

By looking into the plight of the underprivileged the Colombo Municipal Council and the Rotary Club of Colombo West launched a project to perform cataract operations on 50 people above the age of 50 free, Special Commissioner of the Colombo Municipal Council Omar Kamil said.

"This was made possible with the help of CMC's Health Curative Department under Dr. (Mrs) Nimmi Wickremasinghe who had screened 50 patients.

The project was to mark the 50th anniversary of the Rotary Club, who for the first time took charge of the surgery and also by providing imported contact lenses free.

Cataract surgery in progress

Pradeep Amithanayagam, Omar Kamil, Dr. Shaminda Amarathunga, Dr. Nimmi Wickremasinghe, Dr. P. Aluthge, Dr. Vigneshvarajah at the Hemas Hospital.

Medical officers of the three eye clinics at Kotahena, Elvitigala and Slave Island, Dr. Sunethra Jayawardane, Dr. Preethi Aluthge and Dr. Uthika Vigneshvarajah of the Health Curative Department identified and diagnosed the patients and undertook initial screening with FBS and ECG and other base line investigations.

"After they were screened at Slave Island, Elvitigala and Kotahena they were removed to the Hemas Hospital for surgery", Kamil added.

Consultant Opthalamologist Dr. Shaminda Amaratunga performed the operation, a voluntary gesture.

Dr. Amarathunga incidentally, also set up a Guiness world record by performing the record number of cataract operations on one single day with 50 cataract surgeries in his book.

Dr. Nimmi Wickramasinghe, the Chief Dispensary Medical Officer coordinated the programme Council while the medical officers at Elvitigala, Kotahena and Slave Island also took care of the patients after their operations.

"The CMC greatly appreciates the noble assistance given by the President of the Rotary Club of Colombo West Pradeep Amirthanayagam and the members to make this project a success", Kamil said.

Speaking to the Sunday Observer Pradeep Amirthanayagam said they had come forward to assist the Council in this project as they believed that they ought to do something for the underprivileged people in the city, in view of the 50th anniversary of the Rotary Club. "These are elderly people who are deprived of their eye sight. We have seen them get back to their normal lives after the surgeries. We are going to lend our hand to the underprivileged people in the Colombo city in the future too", Amirthanayagam said.

Dr. Nimmi Wickremasinghe, Head of the Health Curative Department of the CMC said that her department got involved in the project to screen the person in need of cataract operations through the Eye clinics at Slave Island, Elvitigala and Kotahena.

"We must thank Dr. Shaminda Amarathunga for conducting the surgeries free of charge and for the Hemas hospital, Wattala for providing the theatre free of charge", she added. The cost involve in the project is massive as private hospitals charge around Rs. 60,000 for a cataract operation for one eye and the 50 operations were done free. The CMC clinics have been treating an average of 850,000 patients per year. This amounts to a daily average of 3500 patients, she said.