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Dear members
I would first like to thank you all very
much for appointing me as President of
the College for the year 2022.I consider
it an honour and a privilege to be
elected to lead this prestigious
institution and I am humbled and
grateful for the confidence placed in me
to do so.
I wish to congratulate the outgoing
President Prof Dulani Beneragama and the
Council 2021, for the many successes
achieved this past year in spite of all
the restrictions placed by the Covid-19
pandemic. Notable are the successful
first ever virtual Annual Academic
Sessions, the commencement of the
accreditation process for four
laboratories bringing to fruition the
hardwork of many accreditation
committees over the years and publishing
of the National Guidelines for Specimen
Collection for Laboratory Analysis,
Handling and Reporting Gastrointestinal,
Breast and Gynaecological Malignancies
and Disposal of Laboratory Waste. The
many useful webinars and teaching
sessions on a variety of topics bears
testimony to the hard work by the
Council 2021. I thank you all and I hope
you will continue to extend the same
support to this year's activities as
well.
This post is one which carries great
responsibility and I consider it to be
that of a custodian who has been given a
great treasure to nurture and protect
for a short period of time. We must not
forget the high moral code of ethics
instilled by our founders who endorsed
honesty and transparency in all
dealings, and abhorred selfseeking
behavior and vainglory. I would like to
take some time to appreciate the great
men and women who over the years gave
selflessly of themselves, their time and
effort to make the College what it is
today. Many milestones were achieved
over the years both academically and
otherwise and I am proud that I have the
oppurtunity to contribute to this
progress. From our humble office in the
SLMA attic to our current comparatively
luxurious office space, publishing of
our own journal The Journal of
Diagnostic Pathology, commencing the
laboratory accreditation process to
hosting our own International Conference
with the British Division of the
International Academy of Pathology or
the BDIAP are, but a few of these
achievements.
With the help of the Council of 2022 I
have many academic activities planned
this year especially in collaboration
with our clinical colleagues in the form
of symposia and interactive sessions. I
strongly believe that achieving
excellence in pathology reporting lies
in being aware of the clinical
implications of our report and a
well-established, cordial relationship
with our clinical colleagues will
immensely benefit the patients whom we
serve. The main academic event this year
will of course be the 8th International
Conference in Head and Neck,
Hepatobiliary and Transplant Pathology
scheduled for late September which we
hope to organize as a hybrid event .
As doctors , we have all taken an oath
to deliver the best health care possible
to our patients. To this end I hope to
complete the accreditation process of
the four laboratories commenced by the
accreditation committee of last year,
with a view to extending the process to
other laboratories. Providing an
uninterrupted and wider
Immunohistochemistry service is a
priority and even though this will be a
very challenging task with the country
in financial difficulties due to the
covid 19 pandemic. I hope to explore
other avenues of revenue with the
involvement of clinical colleagues who
are the beneficiaries of our reports. We
will also work towards the goal that
molecular diagnostic services in the
government sector will become a reality
this year. As pathologists we see an
increase in incidence in malignant
tumours and I hope to explore ways in
which we can increase community
awareness to prevent the most prevalent
cancers.
With a great team comprising this years'
council, I am confident that all these
goals are achievable. Once again I thank
you all for this great honour and I hope
I will be worthy of your confidence. I
conclude with a quote from Theodore
Roosevelt, the 26th President of the
United States of America " Believe you
can and you are halfway there." Thank
you very much
Dr. Sonali Rodrigo
President College of Pathologists 2022
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