Curtains Raised for SLCOMM 5th Annual Academic Sessions

The inauguration of the 5th annual academic sessions of the Sri Lanka College of Military Medicine (SLCOMM), the forum that synergizes military-civil contribution for greater interaction took place on Thursday (10) evening at Eagle's Lakeside Hotel in Attidiya in the presence of a considerable gathering of medical consultants, professionals and experts on military medicine.

The Principal Presidential Adviser, Mr Lalith Weeratunga graced as the Chief Guest while Professor Saroj Jayasinghe was the Guest of Honour at the invitation of the SLCOMM.

General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne, Secretary Defence, Major General Sanjaya Munasinghe, Secretary to Ministry of Health, Navy and Air Force Commanders, Chief of Staff of the Army, Navy and the Air Force, together with a distinguished gathering participated in the inaugural occasion.

President, SLCOMM, Brigadier (Dr) Chrishantha Fernando delivered the inaugural address and set out the guidelines that would be taken up virtually during the three day sessions and recalled the memory of the College's establishment a few years ago in 2016.

The SLCOMM, he added, aims to promote continuous professional development of members, research and innovation, trainees and advocacy in the field of military medicine, in addition to its objectives, meant to assist the development and implementation of military and national health policy, management of resources, problem-solving and decision-making processes and publication of an SLCOMM journal. These academic sessions would also touch on tri service (Army, Navy, Air Force) dimensions of military medicine, including Combat Medicine, Underwater Medicine and Aviation Medicine. A pre-scientific session will deal with many updates on non-communicable diseases which is regarded as an important area of military medicine. The sessions are expected to debate on paper presentations and poster presentations. Furthermore, the sessions will include a symposium each on Military Medicine, Military Dentistry and Military Psychiatry, the SLCOMM President remarked.

The sessions would also dwell on Combat Medicine, Diving and Hyperbolic Medicine, Aviation Medicine and Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) are expected to touch on general medical principles, related to snake bites, nerve injuries, malignancies, etc. Both local and foreign participants during sessions are expected to share their expertise on common ailments, viruses, looming medical threats, updates on the fields, pathological aspects, curative aspects, etc.

Over 250 professionals and participants, drawn from other Colleges of relevance to the fields of medicine and dentistry are now participating in the sessions. Sri Lanka’s membership in the International Council of Military Medicine (ICMM), representing 120 countries is a significant milestone in this regard and works as a catalyst to the scope of the SLCOMM.

Organizers expect to continue their fruitful discussions and develop partnerships with different fields of expertise during the annual academic sessions of the Sri Lanka College of Military Medicine.

In his address to the occasion, Mr Lalith Weeratunge commended the tri service role played in the vaccination drive, not second to any other country in the world. "This should continue as a civil-military synergy in remote areas as well since the armed forces have the capacity and the will to help the underprivileged in remote areas," he opined.

Professor Saroj Jayasinghe in his contribution lauded the synergies that were depicted when the country was affected with the pandemic at first and thereafter and maintained that it would serve a role model to the world too. Major (Dr) R. A. A W Wijesinghe raised the vote of thanks.

The Sri Lanka College of Military Medicine (SLCOMM) is a professional body consisting of Medical and Dental doctors of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force. It is one of the largest medical professional bodies in the country with membership of approximately 400 doctors. The unique feature of the SLCOMM is that its membership consists of all military consultants and doctors of various specialties. Since, its inception in May 2016, the SLCOMM has been making noteworthy progress in terms of the Medical and Dental Fraternities of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, and the college has perseveringly strived to achieve excellence in the field of Military Medicine.