Tsunami relief aid to Sri Lanka by Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America, Inc.

 
The Sri Lanka Medical Association North American, Inc. was founded in 1996 as a nonprofit organization, by the expatriate Sri Lankan medical community in the U.S.A. and Canada, dedicated to charitable and humanitarian purposes especially that of improving healthcare of the indigent of Sri Lanka.

The organization has been given tax exempt status by the United States Federal Government because of its charitable and humanitarian goals as defined in its constitution.

Since its inception it has funded several projects and provided medical equipment to government hospitals and humanitarian organizations all over Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Medical Association North America (SLMANA) through its members has responded urgently to the Tsunami Relief Effort. It donated 1 million water purification tablets and 200 water testing kits to the Chamber of Commerce for the Tsunami Relief Effort.

 A multispecialist team of physicians led by the author and accompanied by a journalist and a photographer from the Star Ledger Newspaper New Jersey accompanied the undersigned to the Eastern District of Vallachennai, Kalkudah and Pasekudah.

 The team treated a large number of patients, children and adults with medications and surgical supplies brought by the team from the U.S.A. The activities of the team in the above relief camps were coordinated by Dr. Lakshman Weerasena and his group of Sri Lankan Physicians. According to the local community in the above areas, no other physicians had visited them previous to our visit.

 
 
 
  A visit to the Galle District was arranged by Dr. Ariyananda, Professor of Medicine Ruhunu Campus. Here too the team treated large numbers of adults and children in the relief camps organized by the Medical Students Union of the Ruhunu Campus. A survey was made of the 450 bed Hospital for Women at Mahamodiya, Galle that was badly damaged by the tsunami. The hospital which is critically needed in that area was evacuated and remains abandoned.
"My visit on behalf of SLMANA included a trip to the School for the Deaf at Moratuwa run by the National Council for the Deaf. The School provides education to 80 children from Kindergarten to Grade 10. The building that houses the children is in need of immediate renovation. The National Council is doing a wonderful job of providing an education in all spheres including training in crafts, hair dressing, cooking and sewing from donations provided by well wishers. SLMANA was instrumental in donating hearing aids to the School.
I am returning to the USA with assessments for needed medical equipment and facilities for hospital renovations and reconstruction, re-housing the homeless and orphanages in the tsunami affected areas of Sri Lanka. Proposals will be formulated by the author for urgent funding to the SLMANA executive committee. SLMANA hopes to obtain the required funding from its members, well wishers of Sri Lanka in the USA and other non profit organizations and the corporate sector," states Suranganee de Lanerolle, M.D,D.C.H., M.R.C.P. (U.K.), D.P.N.(N), Treasurer, Sri Lanka Medical Association North America Eastern Region