Dr. Kumaran’s presentation at the AGM of IMHO in San Francisco on the 1st of June 2024.


 

A Paradigm shift in the delivery of HealthCare Services. “A Community Oriented Primary Care Program is in effect in certain areas of Kilinochchi and eventually will cover the entire district and serve 200,000 people, under the supervision of Dr. S. Kumaran M.B.B.S, M.D. (Family Medicine) Senior Lecturer, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna, focusing on Primary, Curative and Preventive care. The stakeholders are a Medical Officer of Health, a Divisional Hospital, Divisional Secretariat, and a Primary Medical Unit. The backbone of the program is Community Health Assistants selected from the community, who has been trained and help to conduct Family Planning Clinics, Immunization Clinics, Community-based rehabilitation and Palliative care through home visits, Healthy Lifestyle Choices, Health Empowerment Programs and School based adolescent health promotion programs. Active public participation will be enhanced through a well-planned activity called Community Health Empowerment Project. Public involvement is enhanced by revitalization of local Mother’s clubs, School Health Clubs and Elder’s Welfare societies. The project aims to strengthen Primary care services through the government health system by promoting public involvement in health promoting activities. The care rendered will be person centered, team based, community aligned to achieve better health and better care at a lower cost. Eventual plan is to have the program over the entire Northern Province.”