North Colombo Medical College
Encyclopedia
North Colombo Medical College (NCMC) was the first privately funded medical school in Sri Lanka
. It started in 1980 with the admission of 100 local and 20 foreign students. The first batch of students began graduating in 1990. Dr. Heenilame was its first Chairman and Dr. W.D. Ratnavelle, its first Director. It was nationalized in 1989 and became the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya
. The first batch of students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya completed their five year course and graduated with the MBBS degree in September 1996.
Dr G M Heennilame is the father of NCMC. His idea of establishing a private undergraduate medical college was one he had been advocating since 1975. It was an idea frowned upon as unattainable. However in 1979, Dr Walter Gooneratne and a few others convinced of the feasibility and necessity for a private medical college joined him. In November 1979 the College appointed a Project Implementation Committee comprising Drs Heennilame, Aloysius and Gooneratne to “ “to take all necessary steps to start an undergraduate medical college.” Between April and July 1980 , Dr Sathis Jayasinghe , Dr W D Ratnavale and Dr Shelton Cabraal joined the team. On July 4, 1980 the College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka appointed the Board of Governors and Director of the North Colombo Medical College. The Board of Governors appointed were Dr GM Heennilame, Dr Dennis J Aloysius, Dr Walter Gooneratne, Dr Sathis Jayasinghe and Dr Shelton Cabraal. Dr WD Ratnavale was appointed Director. The NCMC has produced 800 outstanding doctors, some of whom graduated from foreign medical schools upon transfer and 608 of whom graduated from the NCMC.
Dr Stanley Kalpage appropriately described this achievement as “ truly a miracle”. After all, when these six persons were appointed the project had no funds, no office, no staff, nothing in writing about approval and little credibility. Yet within one year and two months on The 21st of September 1981, the President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Junius Richard Jayewardene
, ceremonially opened the North Colombo Medical College.
The College placed on record those who helped to make the NCMC a reality, with their encouragement and assistance. These included President J R Jayewardene who from 1979 till the end of his term of office provided invaluable support. Dr Stanley Kalpage as Chairman of the University Grants Commission (Sri Lanka)
and Secretary of Higher Education played a similar role . The others who provided assistance included Prof Stanley Wijesundera and the academic staff of the University of Colombo, Dr Malinga Fernando, Mr. L H R Peiris, Mr. Gamini Jayasuriya, Mr. B C Perera and Mr. Edward Arambawela.
The only Pakistani foreign student to graduate was Dr. Mohammed Munir Khan in 1993, all other Pakistani students migrated and got admission to various universities in Pakistan.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. It started in 1980 with the admission of 100 local and 20 foreign students. The first batch of students began graduating in 1990. Dr. Heenilame was its first Chairman and Dr. W.D. Ratnavelle, its first Director. It was nationalized in 1989 and became the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya
University of Kelaniya
The University of Kelaniya is a state university of Sri Lanka. Situated just outside the municipal limits of Colombo, in the ancient and historic city of Kelaniya, the University has two major campuses, seven locations, six faculties and four institutions....
. The first batch of students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya completed their five year course and graduated with the MBBS degree in September 1996.
History
The creation of the NCMC, a non-profit, fee levying undergraduate medical institution is considered as one of the greatest achievements of the College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka.Dr G M Heennilame is the father of NCMC. His idea of establishing a private undergraduate medical college was one he had been advocating since 1975. It was an idea frowned upon as unattainable. However in 1979, Dr Walter Gooneratne and a few others convinced of the feasibility and necessity for a private medical college joined him. In November 1979 the College appointed a Project Implementation Committee comprising Drs Heennilame, Aloysius and Gooneratne to “ “to take all necessary steps to start an undergraduate medical college.” Between April and July 1980 , Dr Sathis Jayasinghe , Dr W D Ratnavale and Dr Shelton Cabraal joined the team. On July 4, 1980 the College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka appointed the Board of Governors and Director of the North Colombo Medical College. The Board of Governors appointed were Dr GM Heennilame, Dr Dennis J Aloysius, Dr Walter Gooneratne, Dr Sathis Jayasinghe and Dr Shelton Cabraal. Dr WD Ratnavale was appointed Director. The NCMC has produced 800 outstanding doctors, some of whom graduated from foreign medical schools upon transfer and 608 of whom graduated from the NCMC.
Dr Stanley Kalpage appropriately described this achievement as “ truly a miracle”. After all, when these six persons were appointed the project had no funds, no office, no staff, nothing in writing about approval and little credibility. Yet within one year and two months on The 21st of September 1981, the President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Junius Richard Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene , famously abbreviated in Sri Lanka as JR, was the first executive President of Sri Lanka, serving from 1978 till 1989. He was a leader of the nationalist movement in Ceylon who served in a variety of cabinet positions in the decades following independence...
, ceremonially opened the North Colombo Medical College.
The College placed on record those who helped to make the NCMC a reality, with their encouragement and assistance. These included President J R Jayewardene who from 1979 till the end of his term of office provided invaluable support. Dr Stanley Kalpage as Chairman of the University Grants Commission (Sri Lanka)
University Grants Commission (Sri Lanka)
The University Grants Commission is the body responsible for funding most of the State Universities in Sri Lanka, and operates within the frame work of the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978, itself established in 1979. A public organization, established under the Parliament Act No 16 of 1978...
and Secretary of Higher Education played a similar role . The others who provided assistance included Prof Stanley Wijesundera and the academic staff of the University of Colombo, Dr Malinga Fernando, Mr. L H R Peiris, Mr. Gamini Jayasuriya, Mr. B C Perera and Mr. Edward Arambawela.
The only Pakistani foreign student to graduate was Dr. Mohammed Munir Khan in 1993, all other Pakistani students migrated and got admission to various universities in Pakistan.