October 3, 2005 Source: University of Western Ontario:
http://communications.uwo.ca/media_newsroom/story.html?listing_id=19893 Rebuilding Medical Systems in Sri Lanka London, ON. - Physicians from tsunami-affected Sri Lanka are at The University of Western Ontario this week looking for help in rebuilding their medical system, which was severely damaged by the tsunami that ravaged south-east Asia last December. "Initially, there was a lot of support, but now that the acute term is over, we are faced with long-term rebuilding," says Dr. Wasantha Gunathunga, from the University of Colombo. "It's not only the physical things, but the psyche of the people and helping them regain their livelihood." Shortly after the tsunami, a taskforce at Western announced plans to 'twin' with the city of Galle, which is 116 km south of Colombo and, with a thousand deaths, was one of the hardest-hit areas in Sri Lanka. The University supported Canadian relief efforts by focusing on its strengths in health, nursing and housing. "Following the devastation of the tsunami, our goal has always been to establish long-term ties and provide a lasting benefit to the region by lending our expertise toward mitigating damage from future catastrophes," says Ted Hewitt, Western's Vice-President (Research and International Relations). Throughout the week, Dr. Gunathunga, accompanied by Dr. Indika Karunathilake, will meet with experts in the medical, nursing and engineering communities to develop and establish an emergency management program aimed at reducing the impact of future disasters. This plan will also be used to help rebuild the region, which was devastated by flood waters. They also hope to gain valuable insight and establish strong partnerships while visiting researchers throughout London. Their visits include: the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel, CSTAR (Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics) as well as Western's affiliated hospitals and research institutes. Media Contacts: Douglas Keddy, Research Communications Coordinator, The University of Western Ontario, (519) 661-2111 ext. 87485, dkeddy@uwo.ca - 30 -
| 