Delivering emergency and trauma care in Sri Lanka in 2017 – a decade of change and leadership by the Emergency Treatment Unit of Teaching Hospital Karapitiya

Following the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the Health for the South Project was initiated by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health, Teaching Hospital Karapitiya in Galle, and the Government of Victoria. With support from the Australian and Victorian Governments, the Alfred Hospital delivered the Capacity Building Component. The aim of the overall Project was to construct a fully equipped and staffed Emergency Trauma Centre; the aim of the Capacity Building Component was to increase the capacity of Teaching Hospital Karapitiya staff to deliver effective emergency and trauma care. The program included training in the systematic and team approach to trauma care plus triage, trauma quality improvement and disaster response. Following the formal completion of the Project, local medical and nursing champions have continued to improve the level of emergency and trauma care provided by Teaching Hospital Karapitiya; the facility is now a national and regional leader in the training and delivery of excellent emergency and trauma care.