My dear friends,

Welcome to the website of the Sri Lanka Association of Minimal Access and Digital Surgeons – “SLAMADS”

SLAMADS established in 2020 with the objective of improving and maintaining standards and quality of minimally access surgery in Sri Lanka while collaborating with other organizations around the world with similar interests. In achieving these objectives we will take all possible efforts to up skill practicing surgeons, give necessary guidance and training for surgical trainees while promoting education and research in the field of Minimal Access Surgery (MAS). I sincerely hope our objectives will improve health care services in the country while ensuring patient safety. From the inception we have decided to join hands with other specialities in medical field like Gynaecology, Radiology and Cardiology, where minimal access treatment options are offered to patients. We have opened up a separate membership category for these specialities in the SLAMADS and would like to welcome all such health care professionals under the umbrella of SLAMADS.

In keeping with objectives of SLAMADS we have joined hands with Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ALSGBI). This has been further endorsed by signing a MOU between SLAMADS and ALSGBI. This will facilitate many training opportunities to Sri Lankan surgeons and trainees in the form of fellowships in the field of MAS and gave our members free access to their annual sessions on virtual platform in 2020. We have also got very close links with Association of Minimal Access Surgeons of India (AMASI) and hope to conduct combine training sessions in future.

To support practicing Surgeons and higher surgical trainees in Sri Lanka, SLAMADS regularly conducts following training and educational activities:

Live Laparoscopic workshops in regional centres:
All the members have the opportunity in accessing our training sessions conducted by the experts in the relevant area of surgery. Surgeons in the regional centres organize these live operating sessions where all the practical aspects are discussed and techniques are demonstrated.

Library of operating Videos:
SLAMADS has created expanding library of operating videos. There are set of guidelines created by the academic committee of the SLAMADS and the members can submit there operating videos to the expert panel who will publish in our website and the YouTube channel if the videos are produced according to the guidelines. These videos are invaluable learning material for all young surgeons and trainees.

Webinars and teaching sessions on Virtual platforms:
SLAMADS conducts series of webinars on hot topics aimed at surgical trainees and young surgeons. One hour pre-recorded video on the topic by an expert is followed by live discussion and a Q & A session for another one hour. All the members with prior registration will have free access to these webinars conducted in collaboration with College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka.

SLAMADS News Letter:
Monthly newsletter is published online carrying details of all the conducted teaching & training activities and upcoming events. Also members are encouraged to submit write-ups about interesting cases they have managed in their respective centres.

Future:
We hope to develop a database of MAS in Sri Lanka and Minimal access surgical logbook. Members of SLAMADS will have free access to this facility, which will have an invaluable contribution to develop research and publications. We will expand our educational activities to improve the skills of laparoscopic theatre and endoscopic nurses and technical staff in Sri Lanka in both public and private health care institutions in near future. In order to facilitate these activities of the SLAMADS, we have got pioneering Sri Lankan laparoscopic surgeons guiding us as patrons of the association and have the maximum support from our apex body, College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka. I take this opportunity to request all practising surgeons and higher surgical trainees who have interest in developing their skills in MAS to join with our association and enjoy surgery in the digital era.

Thank you,
Prof. Bawantha Gamage
Founder President, SLAMADS