The Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (SLMC) ( Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා යුද හමුදා වෛද්‍ය බලකාය ''Shri Lanka Yuddha Hamuda Vayidya Balakaya'') is a specialist

corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...

in the

Sri Lanka Army ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம் , image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png , image_size = 180px , caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army , start_date ...

which specializes in

military medicine The term military medicine has a number of potential connotations. It may mean: *A medical specialty, specifically a branch of occupational medicine attending to the medical risks and needs (both preventive and interventional) of sol ...

and provides medical services to all army personnel and their families in war and in peace. It is made up of 4 regular units and one volunteer unit. Headquartered in

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

, formally at army headquarters. The corps

Cap badge A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as w ...

depicting the

Rod of Asclepius In Greek mythology, the Rod of Asclepius (⚕; grc, Ράβδος του Ασκληπιού, , sometimes also spelled Asklepios), also known as the Staff of Aesculapius and as the asklepian, is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god A ...

. General officers and senior officers of the SLMC wear gorget patches of maroon rather than of scarlet worn by other officers of similar rank.

History

The origins of the corps dates back to 29 July 1881 when stretcher beater company was raised as a part of the Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers, which evolved into the Ceylon Volunteer Medical Corps (CVMC) of the Ceylon Defence Force serving in both

world wars A world war is an international conflict which involves all or most of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World WarI (1914 ...

. With Ceylon gaining self rule in 1948 and the formation of the

Ceylon Army ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம் , image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png , image_size = 180px , caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army , start_date ...

in 1949, the CVMC became a part of the Ceylon Army Volunteer Force with Lt. Col. Sydney Jayawardene was the first Commanding Officer. In October 1950 the Ceylon Army Medical Corps (CAMC) was formed in the regular force of the Ceylon Army, with 3 medical officers, and 20 other ranks drawn from the wartime CVMC, under the command of Major H. C. Serasinghe. The CAMC established a10 bed Medical Reception Station (MRS) at the General Military Hospital, Colombo operated by the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps ...

, which was later upgraded to a 50 bed service hospital in 1952. In 1961 a MRS were setup at the

Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa The Sri Lanka Military Academy () (SLMA or SLMA Diyatalawa), commonly known simply as Diyatalawa, is the Sri Lanka Army's training centre where officer cadets are trained for getting commission. It is located in the garrison town of Diyatala ...

. The first Regiment, CAMC was formed in 1965 and the CVMC became the 2nd (Volunteer) Regiment, CAMC with its personal serving during the 1971 JVP insurrection. The corps was renamed once again in 1972 as the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps when Sri Lanka became a republic. With the on set of the Sri Lankan Civil War military base hospitals were established at the Palaly Military Base and at the Panagoda Cantonment in 1985. The Directorate of Army Medical Service was established in 1985. In 1997, a military base hospital was established in

Anuradhapura Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central P ...

. With civil war intensifying in the 1980's and 1990's the SLMC was expanded and deployed support combat operations and the high number of casualties.

Hospitals

Since all three armed forces and the police maintain their medical services with their own hospitals, the corp is only responsible for maintaining and operating army medical facilities mainly focused on treatment of battle casualties. Apart from medical reception stations in almost all military stations these include; ;

Military Hospital A military hospital is a hospital owned and operated by a military. They are often reserved for the use of military personnel and their dependents, but in some countries are made available to civilians as well. They may or may not be located on a ...

s * Colombo Military Hospital,

* University Hospital Kotelawala Defence University Hospital, Werahera * Victory Military Hospital,

;Base Hospitals in * Panagoda Cantonment * Diyatalawa Garrison * Palaly Military Base *

Ampara Military Base Ampara Military Base is a military base located in close to the Ampara, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps maintains a base hospital in Ampara. References

Sri Lankan Army bases Buil ...

Units

Regular Army

*1st Regiment, Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (Regimental HQ SLAMC, Werahera) *3rd Regiment, Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (

) *4th Regiment, Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (

Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th mos ...

) *5th Regiment, Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps ( Habarana)

Volunteers

*2nd(V) Regiment, Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps ( Panagoda Cantonment) (Formed on 29 July 1881)

Training Centres

* Sri Lanka Army Military School Of Nursing

Trades/Careers

Officer Careers: * Physician (Medical Officer) * Dentist (Dental Officer) * Physiotherapist (Medical Support Officer) Soldier Trades: *

Nurse Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...

* Clinical Physiologist *

Medical laboratory technologist A medical laboratory scientist (MLS) or clinical laboratory scientist (CLS) or medical technologist (MT) performs diagnostic testing of blood and body fluids in clinical laboratories. The scope of a medical laboratory scientist's work begins wit ...

(MLT) *

Pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...

* Radiographer *

Physiotherapist Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, pat ...

* Dental Nurse * Dental Hygienist * Combat Medical Technician * Operating Department Practitioner * Pharmacy Assistant * Public Health Inspector

Notable members

* Sir Frank Gunasekera, CBE, ED - former Deputy President of the Senate of Ceylon and Commanding officer, Ceylon Medical Corps (1935-1939) *

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Chelliah Thurairaja Major General Dr. Chelliah Thurairaja, USP, SLMC was a Sri Lankan military physician, Sri Lankan Army general and sportsmen. He was the former Director of Army Medical Services and Colonel Commandant of the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps. A tri ...

, USP, MBBS - former Director Army Medical Services and Colonel Commandant of the SLAMCMajor General C. Thurairaja was a sporting superstar
*

Dr Sanjeewa Munasinghe, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP -

Permanent Secretary A permanent secretary (also known as a principal secretary) is the most senior civil servant of a department or ministry charged with running the department or ministry's day-to-day activities. Permanent secretaries are the non-political civil s ...

of the

Ministry of Health Ministry of Health may refer to: Note: Italics indicate now-defunct ministries. * Ministry of Health (Argentina) * Ministry of Health (Armenia) * Australia: ** Ministry of Health (New South Wales) * Ministry of Health (The Bahamas) * Ministry of ...

, Director General, Army Health Services, and Colonel Commandant of the SLAMC *

Brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...

Herbert Clifford Serasinghe,

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, ED - former Commanding officer, Ceylon Army Medical Corps *

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

Vincent Henry Ludovici Anthonisz,

, VD - former Commanding officer, Ceylon Medical Corps (1939-1946) * Lieutenant Colonel Dr.

Rex De Costa Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Anthony St. Clare Rex de Costa, MBE, CAVF (15 June 1920 - 9 April 1971) was a renowned Sri Lankan medical doctor and soldier. He was the commanding officer of the Ruhunu Regiment, a doctor in the Ceylon Defence Force during ...

, MBE - former Commanding officer,

Ruhunu Regiment The Ruhunu Regiment was a former Military reserve force of the Ceylon Army. The regiment was raised in 1954 in Galle with a detachment in Matara. It was disbanded in 1956 when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became prime minister as he considered the unit t ...

and Vice President, World Veterans Federation * Lieutenant Colonel Dr. John Rockwood, VD - former Commanding officer, Ceylon Medical Corps (1927-1931) *

Dr Thusitha Janaka Liyanaarachchi - (SLAMC-O/60041) 1982-2018 former Director of Army Medical Procurement Services *

Dr H. I. K. Fernando - ADC, MBBS, DA (London), Officer of the Order of St. John -Former Director Army Medical Services and All Ceylon cricket player *

Dr R. T. Tambiah, VSV - Former Director Army Medical Services *

Dr Anthony "Tony" Gabriel, MBBS, FRCS (Eng), FRCS (Edin), Hon. FDS(SL), Hon. FDSRCS (Eng) - former Commanding officer, 2nd(V) Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps, President of the College of Surgeons Sri Lanka and Hon. Fellow British Association of Oral and Maxillofascial Surgeons.

Order of precedence

References

External links and sources

Sri Lanka Army

Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps

* http://slarmymedicalcorps.com/ {{Authority control Medical Corps Medical Corps Army medical administrative corps Military medicine in Sri Lanka Military units and formations of Ceylon in World War II Military units and formations established in 1881