Ministry of Defence - Sri Lanka

First Group of 8th SLA contingent leaves to serve UNMISS Bound South Sudan

December 29, 2021

The first group of the 8th Army contingent of the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (SLAMC) left to serve United Nations Peace-Keeping Mission in South Sudan’s Level-2 Hospital (UNMISS) today (Dec 29).

Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva extended his wishes to the first group comprising of 11 officers and 22 other ranks at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport.

The balance number of the contingent is due to depart on Jan 31, 2022 soon after the first group of the serving contingent returns home, the Army sources said.

The 8th South Sudan bound contingent included 66 Army personnel and is commanded by Lt. Col. N.M Niflar, the Army said.

The contingent includes Ward In-Charge, nurses, critical care nurses (gynaecological), operation theatre technician, Physiotherapists (DPM), radiographer, X-ray technician, radiologist, dentist and dental assistant, dental technician, medical storeman, pharmacist, pharmacy technician, lab technician, lab technologists, communication technicians, hygiene assistant, administrative clerk, cooks, ambulance drivers, sanitary duty man, mortuary attendant, etc. and Other Ranks from the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps, Sri Lanka Signal Corps, Corps of Engineer Service, Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Sri Lanka Army Service Corps and Sri Lanka Navy, the Army sources added.

The South Sudan's Bor-based new SRIMED Hospital is manned by SL troops and is equipped with necessary components for secondary care medical services, including an operating theatre, labour room, intensive care unit, emergency department, out-patient department, dental surgery, dental workshop, pharmacy, medical store, radiology department, clinical laboratory, ECG room, the sterilizing department, biomedical engineering section, medical waste disposal section, freezer mortuary, isolation ward and laundry plus wards and an aero-medical evacuation facility with ambulatory resuscitation and ventilation capabilities, the Army further said.

Senior officers including Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Vikum Liyanage, officers and other ranks were also present at the occasion.