PeMSAA Australasia 7th International Conference

Thank you for your interest in the 7th PeMSAA Australasia Conference – Sydney. The conference is scheduled to be held on 8-9th October 2022 at Sofitel Darling Harbour Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

If you wish to attend the conference, please register and make the payments here

Sydney, New South Wales, 8th to 9th October 2022 Conference Programme
DAY 1 - Saturday 8, October 2022

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour

7:30 – 8:15 AMRegistration
8:15 – 8:45 AMOfficial Welcome and Opening
Acknowledgement to Country
8:45 – 8:55 AMWelcome address by President PeMSAA Australasia
Dr Anura Thalagala
8:55 – 9:05 AMAddress by President PeMSAA Sri Lanka
Prof Thushara Kudagammana
9:05 – 9:20 AMHow it all began
Dr Nithi Sivathondan
9:20 – 10:00 AMKeynote Presentation
Covid – Is this the end of the Pandemic?
A/Prof Sanjaya Senanayake
Infectious Diseases Physician
Canberra Health Services, ACT
SESSION 1Living with COVID
10:05 – 10:25 AMHaematological manifestation of COVID and VITT
Dr Poomahal Kumar
Senior Staff Specialist in Haematology /NSWHP
Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney
10:25 – 10:45 AMMental health and COVID
Dr Kalyana Rodrigo
Senior Staff Specialist in Psychiatry
The Canberra Hospital, ACT
10:45 – 11:10 AMMorning Tea
SESSION 2The cutting edge
11:10 – 11:30 AM‘Why Bariatric Surgery?’
Dr Senarath Werapitiya
Bariatric and General Surgeon
St John of God Hospital, Bunbury,WA
11:30 – 11:50 AMJudicious use of opioid in perioperative setting, Is it necessary?
Dr Saubagya Gunatilake
Consultant Anaesthetist
Campbelltown Hospital, Sydney
11:50 – 11:55 AMDiscussion
11:55 – 12:30 PMGuest Presentation
Capacity Building in Toxicology-The SACTRC Story
Prof Mohamed Fahim
Professor, University of Peradeniya
Senior Research Fellow, The University of Sydney
12:30 – 12:45 PMPhotography- secrets of a perfect capture
Expressive landscape photography
Dr Thusitha Muhandiram
12:45 – 1:30 PMLunch
SESSION 3Insights in to Ageing
1:30 – 1:50 PMStages of cognitive decline
Dr Upul Liyanage
Consultant Physician and Geriatrician
Nepean Hospital. Sydney
1:50 – 2:10 PMDementia- Is there hope in the horizon?
Dr Piumali Gunawardene
Consultant Physician and Geriatrician
Nepean Hospital. Sydney
2:10 – 2:30 PMFrailty
Dr Nalini Thayaparan
Senior Staff specialist in Geriatrics and
General /Acute care medicine
Liverpool Hospital, Sydney
2:30 – 2:40 PMDiscussion
SESSION 4
Healthy Living
2:40 – 3:00 PMExercise protocols for healthy living
Dr Pushpa Suriyaarachchi
Senior Staff Specialist in Rehabilitation Medicine
Nepean Hospital, Sydney
3:00 – 3:30 PMAfternoon tea
3:30 – 4:30 PMThe great debate
Moderator: Dr Nimmi Athuraliya
Case Presentation: Dr Saubagya Gunathilake
6:30 – 11:00 PMConference Gala Dinner

Day 2 - Sunday 9, October 2022

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour

SESSION 5Child and maternal health
08:30 – 09:00 AMBiological clock and its implications in disease
Prof Thushara Kudagammana
Dept of Paediatrics, University of Peradeniya
09:00 – 09:20 AMPregnancy and COVID
Dr Nayananada Lekamge
Consultant Gynaecologist, Obstetrician
Calvary Hospital, Adelaide
SESSION 6General Practice: The Talking Points
09:20 – 09:40AMGame changer for opioid dependency
Dr Anura Thalagala
General Practitioner, Vale Medical Practice, Sydney
09:40 – 10:00 AMDermatology in general practice, Alopecia and common skin conditions
Dr Deepani Rathnayaka
Consultant Dermatologist
Sinclair Dermatology, Melbourne
10:00 – 10:05 AMDiscussion
SESSION 7Management of chronic diseases
10:05 – 10:25 AMBrain health for all-call for action
Prof Tissa Wijeratne
Consultant Neurologist
Western Hospital, Melbourne
10:25 – 10:45 AMNew technology in management of DM in pregnancy
Dr N Hewapathirana
Consultant Endocrinologist and General Physician
Diabetes Centre, Oxford Terrace
Christchurch, New Zealand
10:45 – 10:50 AMDiscussion
10:50 – 11:10 AMMorning tea
SESSION 8Reflections
11:10 – 11:30 AMMedical Education then and now
Dr Sisira Jayatissa
11:30 – 11:50 AMProf Channa Ratnatunga in conversation with Dr Shiran Wijerathna
11.50 – 11.55 AMRobarosiya blooming
A stroll down the memory lane; a melodic reminiscence
Dr Pushpa Suriyaarachchi
11:55 – 12:00 PMClosing of the academic sessions
Vote of thanks
Dr Poomahal Kumar
12:00 – 12:30 PMAnnual General Meeting Team
12:30 – 1:30 PMLunch and Closure