Readiness of military medicine strengthened at SLCOMM 9th Annual Academic Sessions
The 9th Annual Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka College of Military Medicine (SLCOMM) were held from 13 to 15 Feb 26 at the Eagles’ Ballroom of Water’s Edge Battaramulla, under the theme ‘Back to Basics: Reinforcing Foundational Readiness in Military Medicine’.
At the invitation of President of SLCOMM and Director General Health Services of the Sri Lanka Navy, Surgeon Rear Admiral Janaka Marambe, the inaugural session was graced by the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekera (Retd), as the Chief Guest.
The occasion was also attended by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo; the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe; and the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Rear Admiral Damian Fernando.
The keynote speech of the Academic Sessions was delivered by Surgeon Commodore (D) Priyaka Palipana, and Consultant in Restorative Dentistry and Professor in Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Sri Jayawardhanapura. The academic sessions featured lectures from eminent international delegates. Renowned medical professionals, including Jyotsna Punj and Ravinder Kumar from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India, and Nalinda Andraweera, Senior Consultant Physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Squadron Leader (Specialist Reserve) of the Royal Australian Air Force. A notable highlight on the second day was the Surgeon Rear Admiral NG Atulugama Memorial Maiden Oration which was derived by Surgeon Captain Keerthi Rajapaksha.
The three-day session brought together over 200 medical professionals from the tri-services and the broader medical community. Through presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, the forum facilitated the sharing of knowledge aimed at strengthening the readiness and operational capabilities of military medicine.
