Department of Psychiatry
Introduction
The aims of the Department of Psychiatry are to provide training to undergraduates, postgraduates and allied disciplines, provide services of the highest quality to the public and to facilitate research in psychiatry & in allied disciplines.
Courses Involved
Undergraduate Training:
Our curriculum is designed to produce doctors who will be able to consider psychological, social and psychiatric aspects of patient care, as well as the physical aspect when making important management decisions in a variety of clinical settings. The student curriculum evolves over a five year period on a spiral model, enabling the students to optimize training at each stage.
In phase I (1st & 2nd years) students are introduced to communication skills and relavant aspects of psychology, sociology & concepts of mental health in the personality & professional development stream of the new integrated curriculum.
Phase II psychiatry training includes introduction to psychiatry, lectures on psychiatric disorders and their management and clinical training. Lectures are carried out at the university. Clinical training at this stage comprises of 4 weeks, of which 3 weeks are at the National Institute of Mental Health and one week at selected community centers including ‘Sahanaya’(center for community mental health)’, ‘Mel - Madura’ (drug and alcohol rehabilitation center), ‘Dayamina’(day center for differently abled children and young adults), ‘Women – in – Need’ and Dementia Centre at ‘Mallika Home’.
Final year training involves lectures, tutorials and one month of clinical training at the ‘Manasuwa Piyasa’, a purpose built psychiatric unit at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital.
The students receive exposure to a wide range of services offered by the multi-disciplinary team of the unit which include liaison psychiatry, child Psychiatry, general adult Psychiatry, Psycho-geriatrics and community services. The training programme includes in patient care, out patient care, community services, counceling services, behavioural and occupational therapy and research activities.
Post graduate Training:
The main postgraduate training component is the MD and post MD training of psychiatry registrars and senior registrars, attached to the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine. Presently, the department provides training for 3 Registrars and 2 Senior registrars in psychiatry.
Other postgraduate teaching includes training diploma trainees in psychiatry and Medical officer of Mental Health.
The department also trains post graduate trainees in other disciplines providing their short appointment in Psychiatry.
- MD Medicine
- MD Community Medicine
- MD Family Medicine
- MD Venereology
Training of allied disciplines:
The department conducts an extension course of Diploma in counseling. This is the first programme of this nature, initiated by a Medical Faculty in Sri Lanka. The new intake will commenced educational activities in October 2010.
Services and Facilities
The main teaching unit is ‘Mana Suwa Piyasa’ Psychiatry Unit at the Teaching Hospital Colombo South which is a unique, purpose built unit to provide holistic care to the public.
In patient services
This unit has a bed strength of 28; consisting of a male ward of 10 beds, a female ward of 12 beds (of which 2 beds are for nursing mothers and 6 beds for children and adolescents).
There is 1 seclusion room for the care of acutely disturbed patients. Newest addition is a geriatric unit with one in patient bed and facilities.
The most recent addition to the services provided is a geriztric unit comprising of one specialised bed.
Out patient clinics
There are 4 out patient clinics for the assessment of new patients, 3 follow up clinics and 1 child clinic every week.
Occupational therapy
This provides occupational therapy and skills training mainly for inward patients. Some of the activities in this department are cookery, card making and craft work. A day programme is also available for day patients. The most recent addition is a therapeutic sewing group.
Out reach clinics
Currently there are 2 monthly out reach clinics conducted at the District Hospital Piliyandala and the MOH office at Maharagama.
Special programmes and services
Several programmes are conducted by ‘Manasuwa Piyasa’
- Dementia centre at “Mallika Home for the aged” – a monthly clinical service is provided for the care of dementia patients in the centre.
- Care givers support group for families of patients with dementia
- Mental health awareness raising programmes – conducted at schools, MOH offices and within the hospital.
- Group therepy sessions.
Department Staff
Academic Staff
| Prof.(Mrs)S.T. Kathriarachchi | Head of the Department/Proffessor |  |
| Dr. R.Y.P. Weerasundera | Senior Lecturer |  |
| Dr.(Mrs) E.A.R. Perera | Senior Lecturer |  |
| Dr.(Mrs) K. P.M. Kulathunga | Senior Lecturer |  |
Non-Academic Staff
| Mr. Kasun Hewagamage | Technical Officer |  |
| Ms. Indranie Rupasinghe | Clerk |  |
| Mr. D.M.P. Rupasinghe | Labourer |  |
Research
Research supervision is provided to under graduates, post graduates and to those of allied disciplines.
Completed research include,
- PhD in Sociology
- MD Community Medicine
- Dissertations in Psychiatry (as a partial requirement for Board certification in psychiatry) Undergraduate research
- Research conducted by trainees in diploma course in counseling
Contact Details
Telephone: +94112802497
email:manasuwapiyasa@yahoo.com
