email from Bernard- 24/2/2010

dr bernard de silva to me

show details 20:58 (8 hours ago)

Bernard de silva

Cincinnati

I plan to be in Colombo,,in April

For the 3 month Dhana

For Sheila[after we complete the same Dhana/pirith, in Cincinnati]

Can meet around these times.

My books are pretty much marked up.

But many are current subjects ,on

Psychiatry

Forensic psychiatry

Mental health

Psychology,,counseling,therapy,

Mental health centers[I started 5,in the counties around Cincinnati]

And on some of the specialties that I was involved with.

What address could they be delivered to or is it the library,where the students can access them freely?

Do we have a list of other Lankans,in USA,Canada,Europe,Australia,

Who may have direct/indirect access to the journals, books

And other relevant publications,

That students are likely to read?

Should also refer to CD data,

Old videos[there should be many relevant subjects covered]

Computers could be addressed ,in this same mailing.

Many do not get obsolete,

It’s a term often used to justify the transition from what is new to what is the desired, “Ultra new, almost useless to most” novelties.

Often a higher memory, better hard drive, and a few ,cheaper additions, make them more useful.

I use several newer versions. but at some location, use much older units,

With practically no difficulty or a discernable difference in quality.

Look for some of these units too.

They are often sold for a bit more than the scrap value.

If bulky, shipping may turn out to be a limiting factor.

Make a list of the friends and contacts,[who are willing to accept the mailings]

And find a way to collect.

United way, red cross, US aid, British embassy, are likely sources,

For collection, and shipping.

I will contact united way[former chief was a neighbor of mine, should have some contacts]

Catholic charities, temples in the area, to get more ideas.

Is there a contact, resource person,

Who can coordinate the information/handling of shipment, in Lanka?

I will contact several pharma manufacturers,

Can I have a list of useful material,publications,books,,subjects of interest?

I focus on psychiatry,

Forensic psychiatry

Community mental health,

Mental health centers

Testing, psychology,

And related areas.

I am not as current in Surgery,

Orthopedics,

Accident trauma,

Gynecology

Urology

General and transplant surgery

As I was in the past.

Can still try to tap these resources, via old contacts.

Universities can assist ,especially with electronically stored material,

And with access to literature.

Our resource base, combining all the people who migrated freely since 1965,

Can be very extensive.

email from Dawood

F.Dawood to me

show details 13:05 (2 hours ago)

Student Sponsorships
For those who wish to help with student sponsorships.
DR.PRIYADARSHINI GALAPPATTY, Pharmacologist and i / c Student Welfare at the Faculty says:
The requirement per sponsored student would be a placement of Rs.225,000/= in a deposit fixed for five years
Interest being calculated at Eight percent per annum generating Rs 18000/= per annum.
This will provide the sponsored student a stipend of about Rs.1500/= per month .
The deposit account holder Could be either the Dean or the Sponsor individually or Jointly
Details should be worked out with Dr.Galappatti.
Confidentiality can be guranteed if required.

email from Hema and Paula de Silva

2docs@comcast.net to me

show details 07:51 (2 hours ago)

Hi All,

My wife and I have since the Tsunami, gone to the School for the Deaf at Sitinamaluwa and The School for the Blind at Polonnmaruwa just interior to Tangalle and provided equipment and supplies as well as painted the School building and Dormitory at Sitinamaluwa. We were in Sri lanka in November 2009 and painted the School building and bought educational material for the class rooms and furniture for the dormitory. Paula is already negotiating with a supplier to get Mattresses for the children and we will be visiting them again this next visit to see what other needs they may have at Sitinamaluwa.

Paula and I have also met with Harsha, the Dean, at the Medical Faculty at Colombo and offered to raise funds to get an Instituitional Subscription for the electronic data base " Upto Date" which will povide the students with a comprehensive web based library with peer reviewed material and references to do more reading as needed. This offer has been extended to the Medical faculty at Peradeniya as well, through a former Medical stdent who we met during our post tsunami stay at Kahawa and Peraliya. Indrajith just informed me that he had graduated with honours.

I believe they are working on a trial use, to detrmine the subscription based on usage and the niumber of connections they need to meet the demand. Each Annual subscription could be in the range of $ 5000- $ 7500. This would be a project that would be an excellent way to make an impact for the education of our future physicians. Additional monies would be necessary to get computer networking for the library and can also be possible to obtain text books on line and research networks as needed.

Any thoughts re this would be very welcome. Nalini may know what is currently available to students and Faculty at Colombo .

Sincerely

Hema and Paula de Silva

email from Sujeeva

Sujiva Ratnaike to me

show details 18 Feb (5 days ago)

I think an Alumni Fund is a good idea. The current Dean of the faculty, Professor Harsha Seneviratne I am sure would be enthusiastic . May be we could ask him if there is such a fund already that we don't know about and if he would help set such a fund up. I know him well.

Sujiva

Dear Nalini,

You have done a lot of basic work and at least now we have some idea of the problem on the ground.

Electronic Journals are much cheaper, and has the advantage of no storage space and don't walk ! We'll need to see about multiple-licence and the computer availability you mentioned if we go down that track. Lots to think about at the reunion. But the Alumni Fund is a brilliant idea and we must see it works,

Sujiva

On 22/02/2010, at 10:58 PM, 1960 medical batch Colombo wrote:

Click also on the ‘older postings’ caption on the bottom right hand corner of each page to see the earlier postings.

http://1960medicalbatchcolombo.blogspot.com/

email from Karals

Lakshman Karalliedde to dayanalini2, me, taboebia

show details 18:41 (11 hours ago)

Dear nalini-those days good girl , now old girl- I was made aware of the thorough investigation made by you-as to be expected, and you do deserve to be commended-highly commended. This would enable each one to assist in his or her chosen manner, Well done, Karals

email reply from Nalini

daya & nalini rodrigo to me

show details 12:14 (5 hours ago)

Thanks Dawood. I do need more strength in my elbow - now that I have to carry two grand daughters! Daya double checked to see who's calling me "girl" - and not "old girl"!
Anyway after all the undeserved compliments I thought I'd better really do some research. So I spoke to :

1. The Librarian Miss Kuruppu who said they need more books, journals & if finances allow - an updated computer.
They have 24 computers in the library but some of them are used by the library staff. Students use them till 8pm. There is always a demand & the computers are now quite old & very slow. Hence the need for a state of the art one!
They order the core journals each year (BMJ, NEJM, Lancet, Surgery, Medicine, NMJ - 1 of each) which cost a staggering Rs 3 million a year! They would also like to have journals such as Social Science & Medicine & books like Kumar & Clarke.
The Library also has a separate ledger account where money can be donated for books.

2. Representatives from the Buddhist Brotherhood, FOCUS & Catholic Students Union who accept second hand books to be distributed among their needy students.

3. Student Sponsorships : About 25 new students qualify for sponsorships each year. The 2010 batch is expected to be admitted soon.

Food for thought :

1. If each of us brings just one book for the library that would be a whole load of books! They neednt be brand new - so long as its not an outdated edition. Last years BNFs would also be welcome.
2. Journals too - again not too old.
3. Maybe we could sponsor a few students - thats just $15 per month/student.

Nalini

email from Dawood

F.Dawood to me

show details 20:35 (9 hours ago)

Thank you Nalini for your response.
It provides a definite sense of direction.!
As always well researched and pragmatic.
The naming of areas requiring assistance, especially,
makes the project convincingly "doable"!
This I must say has been Nalini's forte.
More strength to your elbow girl!!
Best
Dawood