Brain Awareness Day in Nuwara Eliya
Brain Awareness Day, a national campaign dedicated to advancing
public awareness about the brain, its diseases, prevention and research
will be held on January 12, 2016 at Gamini National School, in Nuwara
Eliya. The campaign is organised to increase awareness on how to keep
the brain young and healthy.
The target audience will constitute students, teachers, healthcare
workers, and the public.
Over 300 participants are expected to attend the event, which will
also include interactive sessions on the functioning of the brain in
health and disease.
Resource personnel from overseas include Professor Ann. C. Kato,
Professor of Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Switzerland and
Professor Gabor Kato, Chief Executive Officer of NEUROTECH SA,
Switzerland.
A World Bank in-depth study records Sri Lanka as having the fastest
ageing population in South Asia, while the World Health Organisation
ranks Sri Lanka as the thrd country with the most suicidal rates (28.8%)
in the world (2012). Additionally, Sri Lanka's increasing alcohol
consumption has resulted in adverse neurological defects in the
population, while the 30-year civil war and the 2004 tsunami have also
created long term psychological and mental disrupts increasing many
neurological disorders.
The Brain Awareness Day and advocacy events stems from the World Bank
and WHO statistics and the ground reality and was conceived by a
Research Team of Genetic & Research Laboratory, Dept of Anatomy, Faculty
of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura; along with the
World Class University Project, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The
Campaign is being held under the guidance of Prof. Ranil de Silva,
Director of the World Class University Project, University of Sri
Jayewardenepura.
The program has received strong support from Director of Health
Services and Zonal Director of Education - Nuwara Eliya and from the
Lions Club and local banks
The first 'Brain Awareness Day' in Sri Lanka took place in November
2009 and was organised by Prof. de Silva in collaboration with Prof. Ann
and Gabor Kato from Geneva, Switzerland.
Similar programs were also held at the University of Jaffna, Faculty
of Medicine and Boy's High School in January 2011.
Details of the workshop could be obtained from Professor Ranil de
Silva Email: [email protected]. or
telephone - 011-2758697/0112758704 |
