Dr. M. Ganesaratnam Memorial Lecture 2022 was held on Monday, 05th December 2022 at 3.00pm at Hoover Auditorium, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna. The title of the oration is “Surgery Beyond the Scalpel” by Dr. Satish Kumar Goonesinghe, President, The College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka and Consultant Urological Surgeon.
This lecture is held in memory of a great Sri Lankan surgeon who has made a major imprint in Sri Lankan surgery as an excellent teacher, dedicated surgical trainer, committed surgeon par excellence and a prominent national surgical leader. He occupies a special place in the minds of the people of Jaffna and the Northern Province as a dedicated surgeon who served them with utmost dedication during the most difficult times.
He had his initial education at Royal College, Colombo and later moved to Jaffna with his parents and studied at St John’s College. After entering the Faculty of Medicine, Peradeniya of the then University of Ceylon, he displayed his brilliant academic prowess with excellent results. After graduation, he sat for the primary FRCS and thereafter proceeded to the UK for his postgraduate studies. He obtained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England – the FRCS in 1976.
Before coming to Jaffna in 1989, he served as a Consultant Surgeon in different parts of the country for 13 years. The late Dr Ganesaratnam worked and provided dedicated surgical services to the people tirelessly under difficult circumstances in Jaffna until 1995. He played a pivotal role in medical education during his tenure at Jaffna.
Thereafter moved to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo in 1995, where he excelled in his work. His talents in hepato-biliary- pancreatic surgery and laparoscopic surgery are well known. He was an examiner on postgraduate surgical examinations and served as a member of the Board of Study in. Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo. Even though he moved to Jaffna he continued links with the University of Jaffna. During his tenure in Jaffna, he was appointed as a Visiting Lecturer in Anatomy and Surgery from 1990 to 1995. He was appointed a Visiting Professor in Surgery from 2004 to 2006. He served on the Council of the University from 1992 to 1996. He led the vibrant Jaffna Medical Association as its President from 1992 to 1994.
He has published widely and has delivered the Kanagaratnam Memorial Oration on “Prevention of Illness” and the Sivapathasunderam Oration on “Injuries in Children”
He led all Sri Lankan surgeons as the President of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka with dedication in 2007. During his tenure as the College President, he led many academic, professional and fund-raising initiatives of the College.
He practiced surgery with compassion and dedication into his retirement. Dr Ganesaratnam left us 5 years ago on 3rd October 2017.
