NSW Urology - Sri Lanka Aid Project

NSW Urology Trainees have been collecting "expired" (but still useable) disposable surgical equipment over the course of 2022–2023 and at various meetings including Trainee weekends and State-based meetings. The surgical equipment has been donated to the District General Hospital Monaragala in Sri Lanka. With hospitals in Sri Lanka running out of required equipment due to the period of political unrest in 2022, these donations were particularly important.

Three shipments have now been completed, with an estimated $500,000 value of equipment in total. Endotheurapeutics provided $1000 in support of the transportation costs of the equipment. 

After collecting the surgical equipment for donation, NSW Urology Trainees transferred it to the Nepean Urology Team. Dr Jonathan Kam, a Urology Fellow at Nepean Hospital, initiated this process and was instrumental in organising and collecting donations. Dr Duane Collins (Orthopaedics Registrar) also collected a lot of trauma orthopaedics equipment which was also in very short supply. The equipment was then handed over to Dr Upal Liyanage (Nepean Geriatrician) and Dr Ayesha Siriwardena (General Practitioner) and her father who arranged shipping to Dr Hilary Fernando (Urologist in Sri Lanka- previous Lifehouse and RPA Fellow). Hilary then had to convince the customs authorities to release the equipment without further taxation and then drive it several hours back to his hospital.