Royal College Doctors’ Association to meet on 8 October

The Royal College Doctors’ Association (RDA) will hold its fifth gathering on 8th October at the Hotel Galadari from 7.00 p.m. onwards 

As the leading boys’ school in the country, the Royal College produces many a medical professionals to serve the country ,including specialists in all fields of medicine. But until 1999, there was no organisation to gather these medical professionals into a single group and use their capabilities to promote the well being of the both students and staff of the Royal College. Under the guidance of the then principal, late H.L. B. Gomes, a small group comprising of eighteen doctors gathered at the conference room on 9th October 1999 and laid the foundation for the “Royal College Doctors’ Association” which is now popularly known as the “RCDA”.

Dr. Asela Mendis was elected as the first president and Dr. Thamara Dabare was appointed as the first secretary in 1999. They started annual clinics for the Teachers and Hostellers in the year 2000.In addition, the RCDA from its inception conducts and maintains the College and Hostel sick rooms, through which over 100 students/ staff members are treated per day.

The membership has gradually started to grow since its inception. New projects were introduced to the calendar of the RCDA and the health screening of the year one, four, six and seven screening program in collaboration with  the Royal College Union & the schools health office was started in 2003. 

At present , the President , Dr. AjithTennakoon and the secretary Dr. Sapumal Haggala are leading the RCDA.  

Under their leadership the RCDA was able to conduct the first mass screening program for all the students of the school for the eye defects and to donate spectacles for free of charge. During this period, the RCDA was able to extend its services beyond the College by initiating its first CSR project, the annual medical screening program for police officers with collaboration of the women’s wing of the Retired Police Officers Association and many other health camps in remote and under privileged schools and communities.

In 2013, the RCDA started our annual dental screening project “The Healthy Royal Smile” aiming to promote oral hygiene in young Royalists and in 2014 a program on learning support was implemented to assist children with learning difficulties. 

The RCDA launched its web site “www.rcda.lk” in 2014 to extend its service through cyberspace. 

Today RCDA has a membership of more than 1500 and conducts various diverse projects in school and in the community. RCDA intends to broaden its scope beyond health promotion, by including the career guidance of students, on effective learning and achieving balance between education and extra-curricular activities by conducting a number of workshops of which several are on the annual calendar.

The membership is proud to organise the RCDA NITE, the triennial get together of old Royalist Doctors, at Hotel Galadari for the 5th consecutive time, to raise funds, in order to carry out their projects and health screening programs. 

The first gathering of old Royalists Doctors, was held in 1999, even before the inception of RCDA and the  first successful official “RCDA NITE” was held 2004 followed by  2007, 2010 and 2013.The 5th official gathering of the Royal College Doctors’ Association will be held on 8th October at the Hotel Galadari from 7.00pm onwards.