Nalin Rodrigo

Jayatissa Nalin Rodrigo FRCS FRCOG was a Sri Lankan Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Surgeon, Medical Teacher and Medical Administrator.,[1][2]

Jayatissa Nalin Rodrigo
Born1929
Ceylon
Died2006 (aged 76–77)
Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lankan
EducationUniversity of Colombo
Royal College Colombo
OccupationConsultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
EmployerMinistry of Health Sri Lanka
Known forPresident Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians 1981-83, Medical Teacher, Chairman Sri Jayawardanapura General Hospital
TitleDr

Family, early life and education

Rodrigo was a great grandson Sir Charles Henry de Soysa.[3] His father Professor J L C Rodrigo from a famous family of Panadura was a Ryde Gold Medal winner at Trinity College, Kandy, read classics at Oxford University as a contemporary of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike and was Professor of Western Classics at the University of Ceylon.[4] Educated at Royal College Colombo, Rodrigo studied medicine Colombo Medical College now known as Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo

Career

Rodrigo trained in Sri Lanka and in the United Kingdom where he became a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists by examination. He was one of the 4 house officers appointed at the inception of Castle Street Maternity Hospital 1n 1952. [5] He returned to Sri Lanka spending 19 years in peripheral hospitals before being appointed to Castle Street Hospital for Women.[6]

Contributions to maternal and child health

Rodrigo made many contributions to developing the speciality in Sri Lanka, served as president of the Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Rodrigo trained many of the leading Obstetricians in practice and was regarded as a mentor by many.[7] Professor Chamberlain, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is reputed to have commented on his role as a trainer of Obstetricians with a statement that "he (Prof Chamberlain) seemed to be the only Obstetrician in the country who had not worked with Dr. Rodrigo".[8] Rodrigo is referred to as "the godfather of the quest to reduce maternal mortality and doyen of obstetricians" by Dr MALR Perera Secretary of Health.[9]

Leadership positions

Rodrigo was President Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians 1981-83 and served on its council for two decades and was also Editor and its Patron. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Study in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine University of Colombo [10] Rodrigo also served as Chairman of the Board at Sri Jayawardanapura General Hospital and Medical Director of Asha Central Hospital,[11][12] During his tenure as Chairman between 1988 and 1994 with Dr RC Rajapakse was Medical Director and Dr. Narme Wikramasinghe as Deputy Medical Director,[13] the hospital developed specialist units such as Renal Disease (Dr Chula Herath) in addition to others where local expertise was lacking like scoliosis surgery through attracting specialists based overseas such as Professor Randunna Corea,[14] which ceased after his demise and Diabetes and Endocrinology through Professor Devaka Fernando,[15][16] who moved the department to the university in 1992.

Honours

The Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists commemorates his work through an annual award of a Gold Medal for an oration [17] and the postgraduate Institute of Medicine awards a Gold Medal for best performance at its examination.[18]

References
  1. "Citation for Fellow, Doctor J. Nalin Rodrigo". Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research. 26 (5): iii–iv. October 2000. doi:10.1111/j.1447-0756.2000.tb01332.x.
  2. "Appreciation Dr Nalin Rodrigo by Dr Janaka Weeratunga The Sunday Leader Sunday 3rd May 2009". thesundayleader.lk. 3 May 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  3. "Citation for Fellow J.Obstet.Gynaecol.Res. Vol 26,No.5:iii-iv 200". Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research. 26 (5): iii–iv. 2000. doi:10.1111/j.1447-0756.2000.tb01332.x.
  4. "A unique Society Completes 175 Years". www.island.lk. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  5. "Castle Street Hospital - then and nowAddress delivered by Dr. Nalin Rodrigo, patron of the Sri Lanka College of Obstetri-cians and Gynaecologists and Medical Director of Asha Central Hospital, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Castle Street Hospital recently". Sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  6. "SLCOG present inaugural Dr. Nalin Rodrigo Memorial Oration". Sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  7. "Giant in the field of obstetrics Dr.Jayatissa Nalin Rodrigo by Janaka Weeratunga Sunday Times Sunday April 19, 2009". Sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  8. "Castle Street Hospital - then and nowAddress delivered by Dr. Nalin Rodrigo, patron of the Sri Lanka College of Obstetri-cians and Gynaecologists and Medical Director of Asha Central Hospital, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Castle Street Hospital recently". Sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  9. "High Maternal Mortality and Morbidity: The Shame of the South-East Asia Region Dr M A L R Perera, Secretary, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka World Health Organisation Regional Health Forum – Volume 6, Number 2, 2002" (PDF). apps.searo.who.int. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  10. "Citation for Fellow J.Obstet.Gynaecol.Res. Vol 26,No.5:iii-iv 200". Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research. 26 (5): iii–iv. 2000. doi:10.1111/j.1447-0756.2000.tb01332.x.
  11. "Some well known Rodrigos". Sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  12. "Castle Street Hospital - then and nowAddress delivered by Dr. Nalin Rodrigo, patron of the Sri Lanka College of Obstetri-cians and Gynaecologists and Medical Director of Asha Central Hospital, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Castle Street Hospital recently". Sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  13. "Don't forget Dr. Rajapakse". sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  14. "Professor James Randunna Corea Dr Suriyakanthie Amarasekera". island.lk. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  15. Fernando, DJ (1993). "Knowledge about diabetes and metabolic control in diabetic patients". Ceylon Med J. 38 (1): 18–21. PMID 8477485.
  16. Fernando, DJ; Perera, SD (1994). "The work of a diabetes clinic: an audit". Ceylon Med J. 39 (3): 138–9. PMID 7820894.
  17. "SLCOG present inaugural Dr. Nalin Rodrigo Memorial Oration". Sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  18. "Nalin Rodrigo Gold Medal Prospectus postgraduate Institute of Medicine Page 2 section 6.6" (PDF). www.cmb.ac.lk. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
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