Services


• Community Dermatology Center

Dermatological disorders in the community are common and can lead to severe psychological and social impact resulting in poor quality of life. Although Community Dermatology Clinic is a new concept in the local setting, it is in practice around the world with great success.
The Community Dermatology Center of the Department of Community Medicine was established with the aim of providing services in both preventive and curative dermatological care and is functioning as a teaching and research center for undergraduates.
The center provides services for Bope-Poddala Medical Officer of Health area, which is the field training area of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna. Weekly clinics are held on Thursday mornings at the premises of Department of Community Medicine. The center also provides outreach clinic services at the Navy Hospital, Boossa on a monthly basis.
In charge: Dr. Achala Liyanage (Specialist Dermatologist & Senior Lecturer)


• Center for Public Health Nutrition Education & Research

Center for Public Health Nutrition Education and Research was established in the Department of Community Medicine in 2018 with the following objectives.
1. To assess and monitor the nutritional status of selected populations with a view to identify common nutritional problems
2. To provide appropriate nutrition education and counseling for vulnerable populations
3. To explore the personal, environmental and socio-cultural determinants of nutritional status and the outcomes of nutritional problems
4. To design, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition interventions aiming at improving nutritional health and managing nutritional problems
5. To facilitate nutrition health promotion in the community and work place settings

Activities and services

• Screening for nutritional problems in the community, health care settings and work places
• Nutrition education on common issues related to nutritional health in the community, schools and work places
• Education and training of hospital and field health staff in Galle district on Public Health Nutrition
• Provision of laboratory services to assess nutritional status in the community and occupational settings
• Conduction of research in public health nutrition
• Design and implementation of evidence-based nutrition interventions to enhance nutritional status of the population
• Supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research related to public health nutrition
• Provision of advocacy and guidance to the local governments as well as government and non-governmental institutions in matters related to public health nutrition
• Creating partnerships and collaborations with academia, practitioners, government/non-governmental organizations and communities

Areas of Interest
  • Maternal & Child Nutrition
  • Nutrition in Elderly
  • Nutrition in Non-communicable diseases
  • School-based nutrition interventions
  • Nutrition in marginalized groups (e.g. estate population / persons with disabilities)
  • Household food security
  • Food safety & hygiene

In charge: Dr. Champa J. Wijesinghe


• Research Clinic

Research clinic of the Department of Community Medicine provides guidance and assistance for academics and postgraduate trainees / junior doctors in the areas of research design, sample size calculation and data analysis.

In charge: Prof. Vijitha De Silva


• Occupational Health, Service and Research Center

Occupational Health, Service and Research Center of the Department of Community Medicine provides occupational health services to the southern province of Sri Lanka and conduct research among working groups such as garment factory workers, tea factory workers, rubber tappers, construction workers, three-wheeler drivers, nurses and doctors etc in collaboration with national and international institutes. Further, we provide training and supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students in the field of occupational health.

In charge: Prof. Vijitha De Silva