Sri Lanka: Primary Care Clinic Yayawatta

Project Goal:
Provide medical care to Tsunami affected families and the less privileged to help build a healthy community.

Project Objectives:

1. Support the community with free high quality healthcare services 
2. Help to create a healthy community, especially amongst the younger generation

Summary of RMF-sponsored activities carried out during the reporting period under project objective:
The clinic was opened 10 days per month to provide free healthcare services to the community of Yayawatta in Tangalle, Sri Lanka, and its surrounding villages and communities of Palapotha, Kadurupokuna & Seenimodera.

Results and/or accomplishments achieved during this reporting period:
The clinic was open for 10 days each month and for the Third Quarter of 2012, we saw an average of 20 patients per day with a total of 623 Patients treated.

• In the month of July, 209 patients were treated with 25% treated for hypertension, 20% for respiratory tract infections, and 10% treated for skin diseases.
• In the month of August, 205 patients were treated with 25% treated for respiratory tract infections and joint pain.
• In the month September, 209 patients were treated with 50% treated for viral infections with fever and, 20% for gastrointestinal tract infections.

Success Stories
Apsara is 3 years old, from Yayawatta, and was brought to our Clinic by her mother, Mrs. Piyaseeli, because of Apsara’s difficulty walking for a period of 3 weeks. The child did not have any previous history of difficulty walking, but had now been frequently falling to the ground.  After observation of her walking problems we referred Apsara to the Base Hospital in Tangalle for further testing. The medical consultants at the children’s ward took x-rays to investigate and found an abnormality of the hip. The patient is still at the hospital as an inpatient for further diagnostics and tests and for her treatment; we will be following up further to follow her progress.

Mrs. Siriyawathi is from Palapotha and had come to the clinic with abdominal and stomach pain, diarrhea and a history of passing blood in her urine. She was directed to get an x-ray at the hospital in Galle where it was revealed she had kidney stones and where she is under further investigation for treatment.  We will continue to keep an eye on her progress.

Mrs. Dimuthu Shiromani is the assistant to the Medical Consultant of RMF, Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa. She is 30 years old and had complained to Dr. Chamal about a painful lump on her right index finger. It had lasted for more than 2 weeks and Dr. Chamal referred her to the Tangalle Base Hospital where a surgeon took x-rays, but with no pathological results. The surgeon had suspected a foreign body had caused this, but it seemed to just be an infected cut and Dimuthu continued with the antibiotics which were prescribed.

Mrs. Sumanawathie, 48 years old and from Yayawatta, had come to the clinic with fever, chest pain and burning epigastria. After examination at our Clinic she was immediately referred to the Base Hospital of Tangalle with a suspected heart condition. An electro cardiograph was given at the hospital and it was revealed that there were some ischemic changes at her heart.  She was admitted to the ward and started taking Heparin. She was very fortunate because she had got the correct treatment at the right time. 

Two New Patients

Mrs. Yasawathie is a new patient from Palapotha who came for treatment for viral gastroenteritis.

Mr. Premachandra is a new patient from Seenimodera who had come to receive treatment for a skin condition.