Kotelawela Defence University ties up with Ruhunu University:

Strengthening civil, military relationship

Ranil Wijayapala

The Ministry of Defence yesterday made yet another leap forward in the sphere of strengthening civil military relationship in the professional sector with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Kotelawala Defence University and the University of Ruhuna to train military doctors of the Medical School of the Kotelawala Defence University.

The University of Ruhuna, will facilitate the training of students, who have been enrolled in the Kotelawala Defence University as Military Medical cadets until the infrastructure is ready at Kotelawala Defence University to train those medical cadets at the KDU itself.

Vice Chancellor and the Commandant of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Major General Milinda Peiris and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna, Professor Susirith Mendis signed this MoU on behalf of the two universities at the Ministry of Defence yesterday in the presence of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who is also the Chairman of the Board of Management of Sir John Kotelawala Defence University and the University Grants Commission Chairman Prof.. Gamini Samaranayake.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said it was a historic moment as the signing of the MoU fulfilled a long overdue need of the military sector to train military doctors.

“The establishment of the military medical school is a correct step forward meeting a long felt need of the three Armed Forces of the country”, the Defence Secretary said.

He said the 25 military medical cadets have been selected as the first batch in a transparent manner to be trained as military doctors at the Kotelawala Defence University.

”We have selected students who want to become doctors and serve the country as military doctors”, the Defence Secretary added.

He said these military medical cadets will follow additional military courses beside their basic medical studies to become military doctors.

”Soldiers will fight if they know that medical doctors and medical assistants are there to evacuate and treat them once they got injured in the battle front. Any soldier will tell this if any one ask them of their requirements”, the Secretary added. However, the Defence Secretary said that it was easy to start things but difficult to maintain them. this project should maintain high standards in professionalism.”

Commandant and the Vice Chancellor of the KDU Major General Milinda Peiris said the signing of the MoU strengthened civil-military cooperation in the country in the sphere of professionalism.