CGPSL FIFTY YEARS SINCE CONCEPTION

CGPSL FIFTY YEARS SINCE CONCEPTION

During his Guest of Honour address at the 44th Academic Sessions Prof. Indika Karunatilake mentioned that  College and he were of the same age. Indika was born in 1969. 

Wikipedia records that College was formed in 1969. 

The late Dr. A M Fernando a pioneer of the College and a distinguished past president in the first issue of the  Sri Lankan Family Physician (1979, 1,9-10) gives an account of how College came about. 

He records that College was conceived on 19th May 1969 in Brisbane Australia at a meeting of delegates from  Asia convened by the Presidents of Royal Australian College of General Practitioners & Royal College of  General Practitioners of U.K. This meeting was convened to discuss the prospective roles of Colleges in Asia  and this took place at the fourth Australian General Practitioners congress. Dr A M Fernando had attended this  conference. 

According to the President‟s message in the first issue of the Sri Lankan Family Physician (Editor Dennis  Aloysius and President A. M. Fernando), it was in 1979 that the IMPA decided to establish the College of  General Practitioners of Ceylon. 

Dr. Fernando goes on to describe a “long period of labour” commencing from 19/05/1969 culminating in the  birth on 19th of August 1974, when the College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka (incorporation) law no 26  of 1974 was certified by the National Assembly. 

Be that as it may the same issue of the SLFP in page 97 records the details of the founder members and first  council in 1973! 

Dr. M P M Cooray President 
Dr. B D J De Silva Vice President 
Dr. R J D Peiris Vice President 
Dr. G M Heennilame Hony. Secretary
Dr. L Kotagama Hony. Secretary 
Dr. T Nagendra Hony. Treasurer 
Dr. M S M Refai Council 
Dr. A H Hazari Council 
Dr. A M Karunaratne Council
Dr. A M Fernando Council 
Dr. M Sivasuriam Council
Dr. R P Wijeratne Council 
Dr. Hector Jayalath Council 
Dr. R M L Fernando Council 
Dr. J Warusavitarana Council 

It was in 1979 that the name Dennis Aloysius figures as a Council member for the first time. Dr. G R  Wijegunaratne who is also thought to have played an important role in the process of incorporation of College  was a council member in 1975. 

So should we celebrate our conception in 1969, our establishment by the IMPA in 1971 and our first Council in  1973 too? Over to Council.
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