Web of Life

Hambantota district leads in acid throwing and kerosine oil lamp burn victims. However, victims of the latter which is due to poverty has been reduced with urbanisation and the introduction of electricity to rural areas.

Last week a voluntary medical team from Inter Plast (UK) performed plastic surgeries on many patients, mainly acid throwing victims at the Hambantota base hospital.

The 15-member medical team did the screening, surgery and gave medicines free of charge were here on the invitation of the D. A. Rajapakse Foundation and the visit organised and co-ordinated by the German Help Foundation (Sri Lanka).

When ‘The Island’ visited the Hambantota Base Hospital last week there were many acid and kerosine oil burn victims most of them disfigured, some patients were to be operated on for double cleft, skin grafts, palates, scar contractures, post traumatic injuries and birth deformities.

For most of these patients impoverished peasants from Hambantota and the nearby districts, this free plastic surgery mercy mission is a blessing in disguise.

Dr. Charles Viva, the Sri Lankan-born Senior Consultant, Plastic, Aesthetic, Cosmetic and Hand Surgeon in the UK who heads the team said Inter Plast (UK) has on previous visits conducted plastic surgeries in the hospitals of Jaffna (two clinics), one each at Ratnapura and Vavuniya but in Hambantota there were a large number of acid throwing victims and stressed in a developing society such things should not happen and people must get rid of vengeance and hatred, he said.

Sri Lankan physician in the team Dr. S. Wijayarajan said many patients wanted the scars on their faces removed. This was not done as when the skin is grafted from one place to another it will become even darker. So its better that you don’t undergo surgery in such cases.

Francis Vethanayagam, Secretary of GHF, said Inter Plast (UK) had planned to perform as much as 200 surgeries during their fortnight long mission in Hambantota, but he regretted that there is a snag in achieving this target as some of the patients who were screened by the doctors and lined up to be operated on have not turned up on the due date of the operation thus depriving others of a rare opportunity.

When queried about this Dr. Wijayarajan said "it could be due to ignorance about plastic surgeries and some of them would have been misinformed by others." However he said "we are certain that we could complete around 150 surgeries by the end of the month."

Gamini Dissanayake, a 43-year-old small time fish mudalali from Veyangoda, a father of three a victim of acid throwing with severe burns and disfigured face said: "An year ago when I was going to fetch fish from Negombo in the wee hours of the morning, some one from the darkness splashed acid disfiguring my face with severe burns." He said: "I sought treatment in a private hospital in Colombo costing Rs. 1,200,000 only for a skin graft on my forehead, now I have exhausted my resources and the "mercy mission" by the Inter Plast (UK) came to my rescue."

Dr. Wijayarajan said the keloid between his chin and the neck which causes him a lot of pain will be removed by surgery and also the disfigured areas around the eyes and the nose will be corrected.

Asked how much the entire surgery would have cost the patient, the doctor declined to give a figure but the patient said "it would have cost me a fortune."

Inoka Priyadharshini, 23-year-old mother from Uda Walawe a victim of multiple burns after she fainted and fell on a kerosine oil bottle lamp while being pregnant.

She said she underwent surgery for a skin graft in a government hospital but it was not successful. "Now I find it difficult to open my mouth."

Dr. Wijayarajan said surgery will have to be done around five to six times as her injuries are of a serious nature.

The medical team expressed their joy as they have been able to shed some light on the lives of those unfortunate peasants by performing plastic surgeries.

Dr. U. P. Ariyawansa, ‘superintendent of the hospital said: "Inter Plast (UK)’s visit to the Hambantota Hospital has helped a number of poor patient who wouldn’t have been able to undergo plastic surgery due to financial constraints and it was a magnanimous gesture on their part."

He appreciated the role played by the German Help Foundation and the D. A. Rajapakse Foundation who together facilitated the project and finding of the sponsors.

Francis Vethanayagam of GHF explaining the project said Inter Plast (UK) has spent about Rs. 35 to 40 million of their money and from the contributions from donors.

He was also grateful to the Country Manager in London for the national carrier SriLankan Airlines for providing the medical team with air tickets with big discounts and concessions on baggage.

The medical team consisted of Dr. Charles Viva, team leader, Dr. Detley Erdmann, consultant plastic surgeon Germany and USA, Dr. Charles Stacey, plastic surgeon UK, Dr. Mrs. Yu Sin Lau general plastic surgeon UK, Dr. S. Wijayarajan, general physician, Sri Lanka, Dr. Easwarn Velauthapillai consultant anaesthetist UK, nursing sisters from UK Majorie Burns, Stephnie Jones Sarah Deane, Diadrie Cussack and Andrea Falkner from New Zealand, Mrs. Jane Porter occupational therapist from UK, Anaesthesists Drs. Mrs. Nilmini Wijesuriya, Vasuki Dayanandana, Champa Arunatillake from Sri Lanka, and Chairman GHF Malcolm Perera and Secretary Francis Vethanayagam and Pradeep Jayaratnam coordinated.