Report from MIOT(UK ) by Dr Kantha Niranjan FRCP(Lon)FRCP(Ed) Consultant Physician Essex,UK President of MIOT

A UK Registered Charity No About 24 years old Membership-Tamil Medical or Dental Practitioners Student Members Associate members –Tamils working in the health field who supports this institute Honorary Membership to any person who has given distinguished services to advance the objectives of the institute

The objectives of the Medical Institute of Tamils(MIOT) has been to The relief of Poverty Sickness Preservation and Protection of the Health of the Tamil Community in the Home lands and in the UK Ref:Constitution of the MIOT

Objectives of MIOT To provide a forum for exchange of medical knowledge To undertake health advice and research projects among the Tamil community To encourage and provide social and recreational activities To work in partnership with other international organisations like IMHO to achieve the above objectives

Medical Projects by MIOT(UK ) Our main aim is to support medical projects MIOT has three family health centres in Jaffna district currently in Jaffna,Chavakachcheri & Moolai All three centres consultation rooms are modified to the standards of primary care centre in Britain

Medical Projects by MIOT Support to Tamil Medical Students studying in Jaffna Medical Faculty from North & East Monthly a sum of 2000 SLR is given to selected poor students-this process is supervised by the Dean of Jaffna Med.Faculty Annual Gold medal award to a final MBBS student who get the highest marks in Paediatrics

Medical Projects We have secured, £.5000/= year for Research projects submitted by any medical students from North & East Our Education Secretary for MIOT supervises this process carefully We have advertised this in our website and both Medical faculties in North & East are informed about this sponsorship

Medical Projects MIOT has funded two CPAP machines to Jaffna hospital to be used in Intensive Care Unit last year Burns Unit-Jaffna hospital Northern branch of MIOT collected £.8000/= from 2004 to build a new unit. However due to insufficient amount the money is now donated to the Surgical ward, Jaffna hospital to buy equipment to treat burns patients

Community Projects by MIOT Community Projects MIOT has two orphanages solely run by MIOT groups-Thialagawathiars Illum in Vaharia and MIOT Girls Home in Thambiluvil We have adopted more children from Arul Aham,Vavuniya now Support Hari Children Home,Batticaloa time to time Support to Widows

Community Projects Support for Orphans from Vanni Disaster Support for Widows following war Support for some school hostels which have taken the children who are destitutes or Orphans from Vanni After School support for students in East

Batticaloa Flood Relief-2011 Collaboration with BUDS(UK) to provide after school shelter, educational materials and dinner on a daily basis, for the children from the village, Thiraimadu, Batticaloa YMHO-Chenkalai Ramakrishna mission Hari Illum Educational Development Society

Batticaloa Flood Relief-2011 We allocated emergency funds for providing food items for adults and milk powder for children Drinking water,vitamin tablets were distributed to pregnant and breast feeding mothers, Children and Older people by Ramakrishna mission from the funds we gave.

Flood relief cont Funds allocated to Church of the American Ceylon Mission- for rehabilitation work in Eastern Province for supporting victims and families Thilakawathiyar Illam in Vaharai and Hari Illam, Batticaloa got additional funding after floods to get school uniforms,books etc.

MIOT MIOT has been focussing on Medical education in UK for medical students, General Practitioners & other doctors for a long time We do a Health screening programme for retired people living in UK in the community centres for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol Health education included in this programme We provide a forum for Tamil doctors and medical students.

Our Funds are mainly from Membership We have about 350 members(33 life members Donations from well wishers Drug Company sponsors Fund Raising Events Many projects are funded by the doctors in UK who are MIOT members

My vision for the future, MIOT has the wealth of experts in various medical fields We are always acting in a knee jerk reaction to help when disasters happen We should focus to develop an infrastructure, like Health Centres, support medical education in North & East, training health workers who could give health education to the community.

From the Central Committee, About £.14,130 Pounds paid out for Charity work in 2011 Income Generated in 2011 £.37,496 Pounds(including tax rebate £.6,869) Our Accounts are audited every year by approved auditors firm

Our Mission Our mission is to provide external support, generate financial aid and develop local expertise, while fostering strong links with similar organisations at national and international levels towards achieving our vision

The problems we face, Duplication of work and funding allocation by other charities Many Organisations from N&E request request for funds from various charities Our membership contribution is given to nameless projects with others We dont get good feed back all the time

Current Projects-2012 We have secured funding for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Jaffna Hospital Our Charity fund raising dinner & dance in December,2011 has allocated all the profit for this project Another cultural programme is planned by MIOT members from South of London to raise money for this project on 5 th May,2012

Current Projects-2012 Our new mission this year, Charity Cataract Mission in Jaffna district MIOT is fully funding this project with an aim to perform about 300 cataracts within a week time. The surgeon and his team are travelling on their own expenses This team has done about 2000 cataracts in Jaffna district in 2002,2003 & 2004 Expected cost for MIOT about £.10,000/= is ring fenced now.

SUMMARY Our committee has many committed NHS doctors in UK Supporting the health related projects, support to Medical students and medical education in the home land and UK is our main aim Encouragement to medical students to do research or studies for which we are ring fenced funding from Funding for other projects when there is a natural disaster on a humanitarian basis Medical Education Health Education

What we need? More members More younger members Encourage collaborative working with IMHO IMHO has been successful in organising a number of health projects in our Home land, gathering support from the government and NGOs. Team working and partnership by all

We have to learn from the mistakes in the past We have to embrace a culture which should change with time at the same time retaining our values Constructive Criticisms should be welcome from any one We should not forget that there is a long way to restore normality in war affected areas specially in the provision of a good health service We have to work together to achieve this!!!

Hope you all enjoyed my talk! My Special thanks to the IMHO management committee and the Programme Coordinator

Any Questions? Visit our website Miot.org.uk