Dr. Ramya De Silva wins South Asia’s ‘Healthcare Innovation of the Year’ award

Senior Consulant Paediatrician Dr Ramya De Silva has won the Medical Journal (BMJ) South Asia award for ‘Healthcare Innovation of the Year’ 2017 in India.

The Neonatal Transport Project carried out by Dr Ramya de Silva, at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo won the British Medical Journal (BMJ) South Asia awards 2017 in the ‘Healthcare Innovation of the Year’ category.

Dr de Silva received the award from India’s Health and Family Welfare State Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey at the ceremony held at Hotel Shangri-La, New Delhi on November 18,2017.

BMJ’s Editor-in-Chief Dr. Fiona Godlee said the fourth edition of the BMJ awards has become bigger than previous editions with 2015 nominations from across the region.

“We had to do the hard task of shortlisting 30 finalists and eventually select 13 winners in different categories.The work done by all of them are of the highest standards and innovative in approach, that eventually makes a positive impact on the lives of many a people. ‘The Neonatal Transport project initiated by Dr de Silva has now become a national programme. Sri Lanka is the first country in South Asia to have a neonatal transport service at national level.

The Health Ministry has incorporated the neonatal transport service as a way forward to reduce the neonatal deaths which contribute to 75.1% of deaths that occur under 5 years.

Dr. Ramya de Silva was the President of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians (2015/2016), President of the Perinatal Society of Sri Lanka (2012/2013) and Founder President of the Neonatal Transport Forum.