Browsing by Author "Galappaththy, G.N.L."

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Diurnal variation in the feeding patterns and food preferences of Dwarf panchax (Aplocheilus parvus)
(Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, 2015) Fernando, G.K.A.W.; Jayakody, S.; Wijenayake, W.M.H.K.; Galappaththy, G.N.L.; Yatawara, M.D.M.D.W.M.M.K.; Harishchandra, R.D.J.; Wanninayake, W.M.T.B.; Deniyage, S.L.
The food and feeding studies of fish are useful to explore the possibilities of using them for various purposes such as aquaculture and biological control of problematic organisms. In the current study feeding patterns and diet composition of Aplocheilus parvus (E: Killi fish/Drawft panchax), a common surface feeding predator inhabiting freshwater systems were explored. A. parvus was collected from an abandoned brick pit in Pannala in 2012. Twelve fish were caught every two hours for 24 hours. Plankton net was used to obtain a representative sample of food items present in the system. Gut fullness, total and standard length of fish, total weight and gut weight were determined and using copepod as an arbitrary unit, total numbers of food items of individual fishes were estimated. The time at which active feeding occurred was established from total food particle amount and relative gut weight. Diet of A. parvus mainly consisted of adult or larval stages of insects and copepods. Also, gut had a higher fullness in day time compared to night. The peak gut fullness occurred during 1630 in males whilst females had the peak gut fullness at 1230. Copepods were detected mostly during late morning, whilst insect parts and coleopterans were present in all time periods. Main food items detected in the environment in descending order of abundance were copepods, filamentous algae and insects. This study demonstrated that A. parvus selectively preys on insects compared to other aquatic food sources during day time.
The feeding patterns and food preferences of Aplocheilus parvus: a potential biological control agent for malaria?
(Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, 2012) Fernando, G.K.A.W.; Jayakody, S.; Wijenayake, W.M.H.K.; Yatawara, M.; Harishchandra, R.D.J.; Deniyage, S.L.; Galappaththy, G.N.L.
The ultimate aim of Anti Malaria Campaign is to eliminate indigenous malaria from Sri Lanka. Better environmental and economic benefits could be achieved by the use of indigenous fish species compared to chemical controlling methods as they have minimum or no impact on the existing aquatic fauna. Aplocheilus porvus is a common indigenous species available in both lotic and lentic systems in wet, intermediate and dry zones and is one of the surface feeding predators. The feeding pattern and food preference of A. parvus was determined to test its efficacy as a biological control agent for malaria larvae. A 24 hour sampling for A. porvus wos conducted (n=12 fish every 2 hours) at a brick pit in Pannala MOH region in Northwestern province positive for potential malaria larvae (Anopheles jomesii, 0.1l6/dip) between September 2011 January 2012. Gut fullness, total and standard length of fish, total weight and gut weight and using copepod as an arbitrary unit, total number of food items per 1ml of dissolved gut was calculated with a Sedgewick Rafter Cell. The time at which active feeding occurred was established from total food particle amount and relative gut weight (gut weight/total weighx100). Diet of A. porvus mainly consisted of adult or larval stages of class Insecta (Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and other unidentified insect parts and insect larvae) and class Maxillopoda (Copepoda). Also, gut had a higher fullness in day time (4.3:t0.121) compared to night (2.4:t0.120) (p
Satisfaction with intrapartum and postpartum hospital care among mothers delivering at Colombo North Teaching Hospital
(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2012) Herath, K.K.W.H.P.; Galappaththy, G.N.L.; Herath, H.M.R.P.
INTRODUCTION: Institutional intrapartum care with skilled attendance at delivery has greatly contributed to the reduction of maternal mortality in Sri Lanka. Users' evaluations are important for continuous quality monitoring and further improvement of maternal care services. AIMS: The aims were to describe satisfaction with intrapartum and postpartum hospital care, and to determine sociodemographic and pregnancy related factors associated with satisfaction. Methods: A cross sectional analytical study was conducted in Colombo North Teaching hospital (CNTH) Ragama involving 422 postnatal mothers with uncomplicated birth outcome. Data were collected using an exit interview. Patient satisfaction with intrapartum and postpartum care was assessed using two composite scales covering five satisfaction dimensions. Sociodemographic and pregnancy related factors associated with patient satisfaction were determined by odds ratio with 95% confidence interval. Results: The majority of mothers were "satisfied" with intrapartum (90.3%) and postpartum (91%) care. Interpersonal aspects of care was the most satisfied dimension. Mothers were least satisfied with physical environment. Factors significantly associated with satistaction with ftoth intrapartum and postpartum care were intended pregnancy, multiparity, having received field antenatal care and vaginal delivery. Age > 30 years, delivery > 40 weeks of POA and postpartum hospital stay 1 - 3 days were significantly associated with intrapartum care satisfaction. Residing within 10km of CNTH, immediate skin to skin contact and initiation of breastfeeding within 30 minutes were significantly associated with postpartum satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Factors associated with maternal satisfaction identified in this study should be used to deliver a more patient centered service and gain patient satisfaction.
Use of a public-private partnership in malaria elimination efforts in Sri Lanka; a case study
(BioMed Central, 2018) Fernando, D.; Wijeyaratne, P.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Abeyasinghe, R.R.; Galappaththy, G.N.L.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Hapugoda, M.; Abeyewickreme, W.; Rodrigo, C.
BACKGROUND: In special circumstances, establishing public private partnerships for malaria elimination may achieve targets faster than the state sector acting by itself. Following the end of the separatist war in Sri Lanka in 2009, the Anti Malaria Campaign (AMC) of Sri Lanka intensified malaria surveillance jointly with a private sector partner, Tropical and Environmental Diseases and Health Associates Private Limited (TEDHA) with a view to achieving malaria elimination targets by 2014. METHODS: This is a case study on how public private partnerships can be effectively utilized to achieve malaria elimination goals. TEDHA established 50 Malaria Diagnostic Laboratories and 17 entomology surveillance sentinel sites in consultation with the AMC in areas difficult to access by government officials (five districts in two provinces affected by war). RESULTS: TEDHA screened 994,448 individuals for malaria, of which 243,867 were screened at mobile malaria clinics as compared to 1,102,054 screened by the AMC. Nine malaria positives were diagnosed by TEDHA, while the AMC diagnosed 103 malaria cases in the same districts in parallel. Over 13,000 entomological activity days were completed. Relevant information was shared with AMC and the data recorded in the health information system. CONCLUSIONS: A successful public-private partnership model for malaria elimination was initiated at a time when the health system was in disarray in war ravaged areas of Sri Lanka. This ensured a high annual blood examination rate and screening of vulnerable people in receptive areas. These were important for certification of malaria-free status which Sri Lanka eventually received in 2016.