Empowering Healthcare in Sri Lanka: Launch of Digital Telementoring Project to Enhance Nationwide Surgical Care

Left to Right: Yohan Silva – Regional MD of Rods & Cones, Prof. Mohan De Silva – Snr Past President of the COS and former chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC). Mr. Bruno Dheedene – CEO of Rods&Cones, Ms. Elise Lufting – Senior Executive Rods&Cones, Mr. Iwan Rutjens – Deputy Ambassador, Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Sri Lanka. Prof. Tan Arulampalam – Professor of Surgery, President of the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland. Prof. Bawantha Gamage – Professor in Surgery, University of Sri Jayawardenapura.

Colombo, Sri Lanka – October 7, 2024 – Today marks the official launch of the Digital Telementoring Demonstration Project in Sri Lanka, supported by Rods&Cones and co-sponsored by the Dutch Government. This project is a collaborative effort with the Jaffna Teaching Hospital and the department of Surgery Sri Jayawardenapura, Colombo South Teaching Hospital, aiming to revolutionize surgical training through remote collaboration. Utilizing advanced smart surgery glasses and a digital remote assistance platform, the initiative will enhance real-time surgical training and support.

The project kick-off event, held at the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka, brought together key stakeholders from Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. Notable attendees included Prof. Dr. Arulampalam, Professor of Surgery, who played a vital role in uniting all stakeholders; Prof. Bawantha Gamage, Professor of Surgery at the College of Surgeons in Sri Lanka, who has been instrumental as the local key point; Iwan Rutjens, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Prof. Dr. van Hillegersberg from UMC Utrecht successfully conducted a livestream surgery from the Netherlands to Sri Lanka using the Rods&Cones solution. The connection was excellent, facilitating an upper GI procedure that marked a unique milestone in collaboration and knowledge sharing between the two locations.

“We are committed to improving healthcare access and surgical training through global collaboration and technology. This project will provide real-time guidance to surgeons in both urban hospitals and remote clinics, ensuring that specialized expertise is available wherever it is needed,” stated Bruno Dheedene, CEO of Rods&Cones.

Iwan Rutjens, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka and Maldives, remarked, “This project reflects the power of international collaboration in addressing healthcare challenges. By leveraging advanced technology, we can bring quality surgical care to more people across Sri Lanka, particularly those in remote areas.”

This launch aligns with Rods&Cones’ recent achievement of onboarding its 100th partner company to its global remote surgical network. Rods&Cones is on a strategic mission to provide surgical access to 1 million people worldwide by 2027, bringing its innovative solutions to over 10,000 medical centers and hospitals in 107 countries.

“With only a small percentage of the global population currently having access to surgical healthcare, our mission is more critical than ever,” Dheedene emphasized. “Our efforts in Sri Lanka are a key step toward extending our reach to underserved populations, improving health outcomes on a global scale.”

The project will employ a Hub-and-Spoke model, connecting central hub hospitals with peripheral and international facilities for enhanced access to remote consultations, training and surgical proctoring. This initiative, jointly funded by Rods&Cones and the Dutch government through the Demonstration Project subsidy scheme of DHI, administered by RVO (The Netherlands Enterprise Agency), underscores a collective commitment to advancing healthcare in Sri Lanka and beyond.

About Rods&Cones:

Founded in 2020, Rods&Cones is at the forefront of remote surgical solutions, enabling healthcare providers and MedTech companies to collaborate more efficiently and effectively. By placing a robust, mobile platform with integrated software into operating rooms, Rods&Cones ensures real-time visual and auditory connectivity, serving as a hub for seamless collaboration between surgical stakeholders. With a vision to leverage technological expertise to advance the medical industry, Rods&Cones is dedicated to improving patient care. The company’s mission includes not just improving surgical outcomes but also reducing environmental impact by minimizing travel needs for medical professionals through their remote collaboration technology. Rods&Cones is headquartered in the Netherlands. For more information, visit rods-cones.com.

 

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