Appreciation

Editorial Professor G. M. Heennilame

Sri Lankan Family Physician, 2008, 29, 1-2

Professor Gankande Muhandiramge Heennilame, or Heeni, as he was affectionately known, was near and very dear friend through four extraordinarily exciting, and sometimes perilous but very productive, decades. As we write in appreciation of this unique man, poignant memories illuminate our minds. Prof Heennilame was the architect and creator of great institutions and productive programmes. He was a model medical educationist, family physician and dermatologist. He proved to be both role-model, advisor and confidant to many of us, an embodiment of fearless courage and conviction, and he achieved the near impossible. Dr Heennilame was born in a village named Ganegama in Pelmadulla on 16th November, 1921. A noteworthy if not In 1956 Heeni resigned from State service and worked amusing incident in early life occurred when he was for two years at the (private) Nursing Home, kidnapped at the age of 3 years. For an unknown, but before commencing his own practice at Dean's Road. Heeni fortuitous, reason his kidnappers abandoned him in a had a wide and busy practice. scrubland near the parental home, and he was found alive But Heeni remained a restless man. In 1956 he enrolled and reasonably well. He was perhaps too intelligent for the with the Independent Medical Practitioners' Association kidnappers. Fortunate indeed, for had he not survived, Sri (IMPA). The IMPA is the second oldest medical Lanka and the medical community would have been the association in this country, and the oldest national poorer over the past 60 years. organization of general medical practitioners in the world. Heeni was educated at Seevali Vidyalaya in Ratnapura In 1959 Heeni was elected its Hony Secretary, and and later at , . held this post for nineteen years. He was later Vice In 1949 he qualified MBBS, with Honours, from the President. University of Ceylon. There is an interesting story here. In the early eighties During the next seven years he was a House Officer at Heeni was overwhelmed with work at the North Colombo the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, and, later District Medical College. Dr Peter Kannangara was the President Medical Assistant (DMA) in each of the following hospitals: of the IMPA at that time and I (DJA) was President Elect, Dickoya, Maskeliya, Bogawantalawa, Pussellawa, Gampola an office which groomed the incoming President. But I and Lunawa, where he first met his future wife Beryl. Heeni decided that I should not take Office as President until was later appointed a Resident MO at Victoria Memorial Heeni had been President. Heeni kept delaying acceptance Eye Hospital and, yet later, Medical Officer of Health, due to onerous duties at the private medical college as the Bandarawela. His final appointment in the State sector was Chairman of the Board of Management. As a result the as Medical Officer in Dermatology, General Hospital, incumbent President continued in Office for 7 years. Heeni Colombo. This appointment radically influenced his future decided that his commitment to the North Colombo Medical orientation in medical practice. He came under the tutelage College (NCMC) was a herculean task, and stated his of the gentle and soft-spoken Dr S Chelvarajah, the sole inability to take Office as President of the IMPA. I decided (one and only) dermatologist in Ceylon in the 1950s. He too that if Heeni was not willing to take office I should not influenced Heeni to take more interest in dermatology. It is either. So, by choice, neither Heeni nor I became President. noteworthy that the wide spectrum of postings which he had came in good stead to widen his repertoire and ability, The greatest achievement of the IMPA, which came to enable him to become a renowned and popular general about in the early seventies, was the founding of the practitioner, and, an eminent and much loved family College of General Practitioners of and, later, its physician with particular interest in dermatology. He played independent existence after incorporation by Parliament this role with abundant wisdom for more than half a century in 1974. Dr G M Heennilame was a founding father of the in his Clinic at Dean's Road, Maradana, Colombo 10. CGPSL.

Vol. 29, No. 1, 2008 1 Appreciation

He was its third President, having served as Secretary „ an Examiner at the DFM Examination for many for 6 years after incorporation. He took up this Office only years, and also Examiner on six occasions for the after two active and productive senior general practitioners, DFM Examination held in India Dr M P M Cooray and Dr A M Fernando, who, on his „ a clinical trainer in Family Medicine for the DFM, invitation, took Office as Presidents before him. and also the undergraduates of University of One of the great achievements of the College of

General Practitioners was the creation of the NCMC in 1981, „ Member of the University Grants Commission for after less than 2 years after the appointment and hard work 3 years of the Project Implementation Committee. One of us (LR) „ Vice President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association vividly remembers a Sunday morning when I was woken by Heeni to be requested to accompany him to the proposed „ Member of the Health Council for over 20 years site, granted by the State, for the proposed NCMC, on a Prof G M Heennilame was a devout Buddhist who pretty promontory above the General Hospital, was involved with Buddhist temples and Buddhist for inspection of the site. I did it with pleasure but was institutions overseas, such as the Sri Lanka Ramanya taken aback to see that the dilapidated buildings, akin to Nikaya in Sravasti, India and the Berlin Vihara in Germany. the plantation estate lines a century before, were inhabited Barely 2 months before his demise he involved himself by goats and soiled with their dung. When I was asked for with yet another temple in India. my comments I said, “Heeni, I know what you will do with He was married to, and shared with, Beryl for over 50 this archaeological site”. The end product was a well years, and she was a pillar of strength to him in all his designed modern private medical school, which proceeded activities. She predeceased him by two years. They have to produce, with care and dedication, excellent doctors in left 3 sons, Dr Upali a surgeon in the United Kingdom, Dr lieu of goats. Dr Heennilame was the Creator and Chairman Amal who is attached to the Naval Hospital in Colombo of the Board of Governors and Board of Management of and Cancer Hospital, , and Anura, who retired the NCMC. from the Sri Lanka Air Force after injuries, and is now Human This was when the now wise and very mature CEO, Relations Officer at Stafford Engineers. Heeni, displayed his outstanding qualities in leadership. The two of us were close friends of beloved Heeni, At times he prevailed like a dictator albeit with benevolence. and, we paraphrase T S Eliot: “This and such were” It is a tribute to Heeni that at no time, during the vigorously Heennilame’s ways. Heeni never failed to say thank you active ten year existence of the NCMC, until it was vested for everything anyone did for him. Another admirable in the State, did the Board of Governors ever have to take quality in Heeni’s conduct was that he always apologized a majority vote on any problem or issue. On certain when he perceived that he had offended someone who controversial issues there was prolonged discussion, and was justifiably reprimanded by him. I (DJA) experienced consensus was reached without division. some of these reprimands and apologies. These qualities In his busy life Prof Heennilame held several offices, endeared Heeni to many. including: Prof Heennilame was a caring guide, philosopher and friend to all of us. A legendary figure in the Sri Lankan „ Chairman of the Board of Study in Family Medicine of the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, medical scene, Dr C G Uragoda has remarked “Dr University of Colombo, for over 2 decades. Here Heennilame was a GREAT man”. There are literally many he spearheaded the establishment of the historic thousand colleagues, contemporaries and grateful patients Diploma in Family (DFM) Course and Examination. who will agree that Dr Heennilame was truly a GREAT MAN He was coordinator for dermatology for several WITH GREAT VISION, who journeyed through life fruitfully, with GREAT distinction. years and was a lecturer on this course for over 2 decades Heeni departed on 12th January, 2009.

Dennis J Aloysius and Lakshman Ranasinghe

Small people talk about others, Average people talk about things, Great people talk about ideas.

2 Sri Lankan Family Physician