RHRC, Kataragama – About Us

Vision

To be a center of excellence in rural health and research

Mission

To promote research, education and training in health issues relevant to rural environments of Sri Lanka through the Rural Health Research Centre Kataragama.

The Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo has a long history of interest in the area of health-related to rural populations. From its inception in 1870, several generations of academics have given leadership to disorders and illnesses affecting the rural population of the country.

The Malaria Research Station (MRS) of the Department of Parasitology had been established in Mailagama, Kataragama in 1988. The MRS pioneered work in the rural community by building a field clinic and a laboratory, providing screening, diagnostic and treatment services in collaboration with the Anti-Malaria Campaign of the Ministry of Health. In more recent years research has been conducted into diseases such as malaria, filariasis, leishmaniasis, leptospirosis and snake bite. These were often initiatives by individual researchers and there was a lack of a coherent programme.

Malaria research activities from the department of Parasitology.

Mud-thatched hut (renovated) used as the waiting area for malaria patients.

Historical appearance & staff members of the center.