HOMEOPATHY FROM INCEPTION - SRI LANKA

Tracing the history of Homeopathy to its beginnings in Sri Lanka is not any easy task because it has been practiced not as a state recognized system, for state recognition came only in by the passing of the Homeopathic act No 7 in Parliament on the February 12th of 1970.

There is some evidence however that Homeopathy has been in practice in Sri Lanka from 1906, by one cap. .R.T. Samaraweera a cadet Master Royal Collage Colombo. He had gone for study medicine in the University of Culcata but had come under the influence of one F.R. Augustus Muller a Christian missionary from Germany in India who was a lay practitioner of Homeopathy in Manglore using Homeopathic specifics.

After returning to Sri Lanka Cap, Samaraweera had been practicing this system in Colombo among his friends and relatives. Then in 1939 we find evidence that Dr, D. V. Walpola MBBS, MF (Lond) District Medical Officer (DMO) Chillow also a qualified homeopathic practitioner practicing homeopathy privately and allopathic system publicly.

MAGIC POWDERS.
The patients identified these medicines given to them as magic powders, during this period many Ayurvedha practitioners and also laymen in several parts of the country treating patients with Homeopathic Medicines. But non-of them had been institutionally qualified however people were attracted to them due to their miraculous healing properties.

BIRTH OF HOMOEOPATHIC ASSOCIATIONS.
In 1951several significant developments had taken place with regard to Homeopathy. In this year we find the formation of two Homeopathy societies one the establishment of and branch of the international Hhnemann Association USA. his society was founded by cap. Samaraweera. In 1954 this association had changed its name to Ceylon Homeopathic Society under the sponsorship of this society the Ceylon Institute of Homeopathy was formed, for the purpose of conducting lectures for those who wanted to study homeopathy .Sri Lanka's First Private Homeopathic Hospital had also been established this year in Bambalapitiya for the same purpose This was a 10 bed hospital .There is also evidence to show that some leading homeopaths from India had been got down to conduct lectures . The Ceylon Homeopathic Society had been agitating from 1951 for state recognition of Homeopathy

STATE RECOGNITIONS.

Then we come to the Corea chapter in the development of homeopathy. This period really marks the turning point in the development of homeopathy in Sri Lanka. For it was during this period due to untiring efforts of Dr C.V. S. Corea, -Sid Core to his friends that homeopathy act was passed in Parliament giving state recognition to homeopathy. (Homeopathy act No 7of 1970 dated 12th February1970)

The story how Dr Corea had got interested in homeopathy makes interesting reading. His youngest son had been suffering from diarrhea wich had not answers to wetern medicine. Hearing of Dr walpola's magic powders Mr., Corea then had gone to consult him. The powders had worked ending in Mr. Corea establishing a life long friendship with Dr Walpola formers taking to homeopathy. Dr Corea with an aristocratic background has easy access to the powers at that time. It was meanly due to this that the Government was moved to give state recogniti8on to homeopathy. Dr Corea who died in 1990 left behind a one of the best and well stocked Homeopathic Medical Libraries in the world with over 2000 books periodicals and magazines on the subject. Some say this is the best library in the world .Any visitor to his library at Gregories road Colombo housed in his spacious Victorian type home cannot be less impressed. He was the president of the First Government appointed homeopathic council and later stage he was appointed as an Adviser to the Government on Homeopathy. Also Dr C.V.S. Corea participated in many International conferences.

However Sri Lanka looks a fullyfleged Homeopathy Hospital and a medical college owing to this there has been and dramatic and development in homeopathy even after state recognition was given.
Homeopathy was under the Ministry of health since its recognition and the secretary to Ministry become the registrar the 1st registrar was Mr. Palambalana.

To day homeopathy comes under the Ministry of health and indigenous medicine the subject goes under indigenous medicine. Its governing body is an elected homeopathy medical council
After the expiry of the 1st five years the members reappointed by the politition for another five year period as the formar council could not frame regulations to conduct election for the election of members. The council became defunct in 1989.

Dark decade 1989 to 1998 there was no council birth of various homeopathic assoations took place, They agitated for recognition and for re-establishment of a council.ultimately elections was held in the month of May 1998 and elected 7 members to the council. There after in the month August another election was heald in the presence of the Hon Minister of Health, and Dr T C Peiris was elected finally the Hon Minister announced Dr T C Peiris as President of the 1st elected council.
The 1st council meeting was heald on 9th August 1998 and passed a 6 year plan for development of Homeopathy in Sri Lanka,

MANPOWER.
Institutionally qualified & Registered Medical officers- 35
Practitioners registered under section 27c 74
Provisionally registered practitioners . 116
Lay practitioners over 500

State owned Homeopathy Hospitals.
Homeopathy system of medicine is fast growing popularity in Sri Lank with over million people taking homeopathy treatment from the government homeopathy clinics at welisara and Diyatalawa which is a five acre land allocated for the setting up of a homeopathy medical school, where the Teaching Hospital is almost completed constructional.
There is also homeopathy unit in Diyatalawa hospital, and homeopathic free dispensaries are run by the Homeopathic Medical council in the following cities. Matale ,Akurana, Kandy,Monaragala

HOMEOPATHIC PHARMACY.

There is only one homeopathic pharmacy in Sri Lanka situated at No 27c, Terrence avenue, Mount- Lavinia- which a about 10 kilometer away from the capital Colombo, catering medicine to a majority of homeopathic practitioners sine over a decade- which also has a consulting services.

With the election of the new council the country in expected to move forward fast in developing the HOMEOPATHY system of medicine in Sri Lanka.

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