We are delighted that we are about to restart the first surgical unit in Ceylon which was freely available to the general public upon establishment by Dr Samuel Green in 1848. Dr Samuel Green was a Columbia University graduate from America who brought western medicine to Ceylon along with his American medical missionaries after the American Ceylon Mission was founded in 1816.
This hospital was known as General Medical Mission Hospital until 1908 when it was renamed by ACM led by secretary Dr Thomas B Scott as Green Memorial Hospital ( GMH ). In the year 1908, GMH treated around 1000 inpatients and 6000 out patients. Our ambition is to restore surgical services for the benefit of local communities. In bringing Surgery back to life we also bring back to life this national heritage hospital which indeed was the first medical school in Ceylon from 1850 to 1875.
We are grateful to all the donors who have given generously and for the Surgeons and Anaesthetists at Jaffna Teaching Hospital who will provide the expertise. We are grateful to Prof Surethirakumaran – Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Jaffna for providing leadership as Medical Director of Green Memorial Hospital undertaken on an honorary basis and for all the Medical Governors of GMH Governing Council for their commitment including Dr Coonghe, Dr Kumaran, Dr Mathivaanan, Dr Premakrishna, Dr Kandeepan and Dr Sritharan. We are grateful to Rev Sathees Daniel – Secretary of JDCSI and Mr Joe Inbaraj – Treasurer JDCSI for their stewardship within GMH Governing Council.
We are also immensely grateful for the brilliant leadership provided by Right Reverend Dr Pathmathayalan, Bishop of Jaffna Diocese of the CSI as Chair of GMH governing council. As a legacy of the American Medical Mission, JDCSI is the custodian of Green Memorial Hospital, Manipay.
We raised over Rs 5 million which was required for repairing the Operating Theatre andsome parts of Centenary Block to run the Surgical Unit and we were able to transfer from London surgical equipment worth 2 million rupees kindly donated by Dr Ravi Muthiah and also purchased additional equipment worth Rs 2 million. The unit will owe a great deal of gratitude to Mr Chrisantha Arnold an alumnus of Jaffna College who single handedly navigated the challenging task of bringing surgical equipment into the country. The funding was made possible by the unstinting efforts of Ride4Ceylon fund raising cycle rides led by Directors Mr David Rasiah, Mr Nishantha Abeywardena and Mr Sriomal De Silva.
We are also grateful to Dr CS Nachinarkinian former Director of Jaffna Teaching Hospital whoas GMH Medical Advisory Board member produced a video on the hospital which generated huge international interest. We have had great support from Prof Nadarajah Sreeharan inaugural Professor of Medicine at University of Jaffna in our journey towards full
restoration of GMH.
We hope that this is one more step towards full restoration of the hospital to provide comprehensive services to the public at minimal cost as a not for profit hospital mostly funded by charitable donations.
Prof Jayantha Arnold
Chief Trustee
Friends of Manipay Hospital UK registered Charity
Trustees : Prof Jayantha Arnold, Dr George Mather, Mr Anandan Arnold and Dr Deva Vishva