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Centre for Spinal Cord Injuries

| Source: lankatimes.co

The Association for Rehabilitation of Spinal Cord Injuries (ARSCI) recently announced the forthcoming launch of Sri Lanka’s first ever Rehabilitation Centre for Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) situated adjoining the Ragama Teaching Hospital. The ‘ARSCI Centre’ is donated by the Hussein Esufally Charitable Trust and is expected to be fully operational in February 2009.

Addressing a media conference on the occasion of World Disability Day (03 December), President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association Prof. Lalitha Mendis said, “Disability due to Spinal Cord Injury has become a major problem with the increasing number of road traffic and other accidents such as falls from heights such as trees. For example a Colombo Medical Faculty student recently sustained a serious spinal cord injury when a temporary shed in which she took shelter collapsed. The country has insufficient specialized services for the long term rehabilitation of these patients. Such long term expert rehabilitation can make a tremendous difference to their life style’.

ARSCI is a voluntary body dedicated to improving the lives of those afflicted with Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) and was founded by Hussein Esufally, a business leader and a man with first hand experience of SCI. “Having suffered from SCI, I was fortunate enough to travel overseas for treatment and have seen the focus given to post-surgical rehabilitation therapy and its role in helping people recover from and deal with their condition. There is clearly a significant need for this type of service in Sri Lanka and it is this that prompted me to support this initiative”, Esufally said.

Prof. Rajitha Wickremesinghe, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya said, “The ARSCI Centre will not provide in-patient care, but rather it will be a Referral Centre for patients with SCI at the Ragama Teaching Hospital and base hospitals in the surrounding areas for long term rehabilitation. It will provide free specialized consultation services by the academic staff of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya. In addition there will be facilities for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, counselling services, social support services and minor surgical care”.

A help line (2961000) has been made available from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm to provide information for SCI patients and their families on SCI management and general information on disability services and rights of persons with disabilities.

ARSCI intends to provide most services free of charge. The Centre, however, requires a substantial amount of funds for its operations and earnestly solicits funds from NGOs, Corporates and the public. All funds received would be duly accounted. Those interested to support ARSCI may kindly contact Prof. Rajitha Wickremesinghe on 2958251 or email ‘help@arsci.lk’.

The Association for Rehabilitation of Spinal Cord Injuries (ARSCI) recently announced the forthcoming launch of Sri Lanka’s first ever Rehabilitation Centre for Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) situated adjoining the Ragama Teaching Hospital. The ‘ARSCI Centre’ is donated by the Hussein Esufally Charitable Trust and is expected to be fully operational in February 2009.

Addressing a media conference on the occasion of World Disability Day (03 December), President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association Prof. Lalitha Mendis said, “Disability due to Spinal Cord Injury has become a major problem with the increasing number of road traffic and other accidents such as falls from heights such as trees. For example a Colombo Medical Faculty student recently sustained a serious spinal cord injury when a temporary shed in which she took shelter collapsed. The country has insufficient specialized services for the long term rehabilitation of these patients. Such long term expert rehabilitation can make a tremendous difference to their life style’.

ARSCI is a voluntary body dedicated to improving the lives of those afflicted with Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) and was founded by Hussein Esufally, a business leader and a man with first hand experience of SCI. “Having suffered from SCI, I was fortunate enough to travel overseas for treatment and have seen the focus given to post-surgical rehabilitation therapy and its role in helping people recover from and deal with their condition. There is clearly a significant need for this type of service in Sri Lanka and it is this that prompted me to support this initiative”, Esufally said.

Prof. Rajitha Wickremesinghe, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya said, “The ARSCI Centre will not provide in-patient care, but rather it will be a Referral Centre for patients with SCI at the Ragama Teaching Hospital and base hospitals in the surrounding areas for long term rehabilitation. It will provide free specialized consultation services by the academic staff of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya. In addition there will be facilities for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, counselling services, social support services and minor surgical care”.

A help line (2961000) has been made available from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm to provide information for SCI patients and their families on SCI management and general information on disability services and rights of persons with disabilities.

ARSCI intends to provide most services free of charge. The Centre, however, requires a substantial amount of funds for its operations and earnestly solicits funds from NGOs, Corporates and the public. All funds received would be duly accounted. Those interested to support ARSCI may kindly contact Prof. Rajitha Wickremesinghe on 2958251 or email ‘help@arsci.lk’.
Source :Island

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