Dr Mohan Sivarajaratnam memorial simulation centre was officially opened at Jaffna Teaching Hospital on the 6th of March 2023.
This project was funded by JMFOA-UK at the cost of £40,000 (roughly 17.2 million SLR). Dr Arulmoli, Simulation Coordinator of Nothern Province said, this new facility is one of the biggest centres on the island.
It will be used by all health professionals in the province for a variety of simulation courses, lectures, and other relevant activities. It will be managed by a steering group inclusive of one member from JMFOA UK to make the centre to be maximally utilized and self-funded for its future maintenance.
History of Simulation Centre Project
The concept of setting up a simulation centre started in 2012
In early 2012, a request came from Dr Sivansunthan to conduct airway management and basic life support training for nurses. Dr Sathialingam volunteered to conduct the session in Jaffna with the help of Dr. Premakrishna, who did US-guided vascular access training for anaesthetic doctors simultaneously.
Soon after this successful session, JMFOA-UK under the leadership of Dr Parthipan developed the concept of providing life support training and setting up a simulation centre at JTH. The decision was made for the following reasons.
* JTH is the only tertiary health care centre in the NP and the final referral Centre for all five districts in Northern Province, with an estimated population of 1.2 million.
* Hospital staff should receive the necessary technical training to perform their task better, improve their work-related skill set, increase their knowledge about their work
* Lack of simulation-based training for hospital healthcare staff and university medical students.
To bring our dream absolute, our chapter tried so many ways.
In 2013, we did a poster presentation at our international JMFOA meeting in Australia to convince Dean of JMF, Balasubramaniam and members of other chapters.
In 2014, we organized a symposium at JMF Kailasapathy hall with the help of Dr. Happuarachi, PGIM anesthetics board chair, Drs Vetpillai, Vasumathy, and Sathialingam. Even though the Dean of JMF agreed to provide space, it never materialized.
In 2016, Dr Sathiamoorthy allocated a space in the old radiological department. Our chapter funded the decorating and furnishing, and the health department provided many manikins to set up a provincial sim centre at JTH. The new site was opened in March 2016, and Dr. Sathialingam did six sims training at the new site.
In 2017 and 2018, Dr Vetpillai volunteered for basic life support training sessions at different places on the top floor of the medical hostel, in the board room, in the wards, and in nursing school due to the lack of space at the newly furbished site.
Similarly, JMFOA/JMA jointly did sessions and symposia about ALS courses.
In 2019, the UK chapter funded ALS official training with the resuscitation committee and SL college of anaesthesia.
In 2019, Dr Mohan agreed with Dr Sathiamoorthy to build the sim centre at the present site but delayed due to a funding issue.
Finally, in 2020 the present committee of JMFOA UK agreed to sign an MOU with the medical director of JTH to build the simulation centre at the cost of £40,000, roughly 17.2 million SLR. Even though the project had many obstacles during Covid pandemic and Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, it was completed successfully and was declared opened by our current JMFOA President Dr Navaneetham on 06/03/2023. The project was dedicated to our late President Dr Mohan Sivarajaratnam.
The simulation centre will be managed by a steering committee inclusive of the UK chapter. We want the centre to be maximally utilized by all relevant people and self-funded for its future maintenance.
