Sri Lanka: Primary Care Clinic Yayawatta

Yayawatta Clinic Q4 2014 Progress Report

May 27, 2015

Stephney Minerva Fernando

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 at Seenimodara in Tangalle, Sri Lanka, and its surrounding villages and communities of Palapotha, Kadurupokuna & Seenimodara.

Results and/or accomplishments achieved during this reporting period:
 
The RMF Clinic was open for 10 days each month and for the 4th Quarter of 2014; we saw an average of 21 patients per day with a total of 649 patients treated.
 
October 2014

  • The Real Medicine Clinic provided services to 214 patients, 100 male and 114 female. 50% of patients were treated for viral Influenza and 10%, specifically elders, were treated for rheumatoid arthritis and viral gastroenteritis.  Patients were also treated for ischemic heart and hypertension.
  • 139 patients were direct beneficiaries who were treated for viral influenza, rheumatoid arthritis and viral gastroenteritis.
  • 37 indirect beneficiaries were treated for viral influenza. Direct and indirect beneficiaries were treated for 6 types of diseases, with a total of 75 patients being indirect beneficiaries.  

 
November 2014

  • 220 patients were treated at the Real Medicine Clinic at Yayawatta at Seenimodara in Tangalle.  There were 102 male patients and 118 female patients.
  • 35% of patients were treated for viral fever and 15% were treated for viral gastroenteritis, rheumatoid arthritis and dermatomycosis. 10% were treated for hypertension. Many children were treated for dermatitis.
  • The number of direct beneficiaries increased to 140. The number of indirect beneficiaries totaled 80, with patients coming from Palapotha, Kadurupokuna and Seenimodara to receive treatment at the Real Medicine Clinic.
  • This free Health Program is a gift from Real Medicine Foundation, which has a heart to help deserving communities that lost everything from destruction and suffer from poverty.

 
December 2014  

  • 215 patients were treated. 136 direct beneficiaries from Yayawatta and 79 indirect beneficiaries were treated and obtained medication for 9 types of diseases.
  • 40% of patients were treated for viral influenza and 10% were treated for skin diseases and arthritis. 10% were treated for ischemic heart diseases and hypertension.
  • 32 indirect beneficiary patients from Palapotha, Kadurupokuna and Seenimodara were treated for viral influenza. A total of 79 patients came from surrounding villages.


Success Stories
Apart from the routine clinic services, RMF provided mobile clinic services to the poor community in and around Tangalle over the past 8 years. A review of these follows:
 
Special Surgical Clinic 2006
 
Senior Surgeon of Tangalle Base Hospital Dr. Karunaratna conducted a clinic at the Yayawatta Real Medicine Clinic 2006.

Mobile Medical Clinic 2007
 
RMF Medical Consultant, Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa conducted a clinic at Tangalle Children’s Relay in Tangalle in 2007

Mobile Medical Clinic 2008
 
RMF Medical Consultant, Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa conducted a clinic at Jayasumanaramaya Temple at Beliatta Road in Tangalle in 2008

Awareness Program for Mothers
 
RMF Medical Consultant Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa and Medical Officer of Health in Tangalle Hospital Dr. Chamila extended services to the mothers of direct and indirect beneficiaries at Yayawatta in 2008.

Mobile Medical Clinic 2009
 
RMF Medical Consultant, Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa conducted a clinic at Marakolliya Preschool in Tangalle in 2009

Mobile Clinic 2011
 
RMF Medical Consultant Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa & his wife Dr. Lakmali conducted the clinic at Barawakumbuka, a remote village near Tangalle in 2011


 

Background

After completing Real Medicine’s immediate tsunami relief efforts at the Mawella Camp Clinic, a second clinic was opened in Yayawatta in October 2006. The clinic is open for 10 days each month to provide free healthcare services to the community of Yayawatta and Seenimodera in Tangalle, Sri Lanka, and the surrounding villages and communities of Palapotha, Kadurupokuna, and Seenimodera. With no resources to hire private transportation and no access to public transport, the clinic provides the only locally based medical care within the community, easily accessible and within walking distance of most villages and beneficiaries. To expand our reach to the surrounding communities, our primary health care clinic staff conducts off-site clinics at local schools and community centers to provide poor rural children with free checks-ups, and medicines.

Objectives

  • Support the community with free, high quality healthcare services
  • Approximately 94 tsunami-affected families and the surrounding communities in 4 villages: a population of 4,000.
  • Help to create a healthy community, especially amongst the younger generation