Sunshine Medical Devices supports Sri Lanka's first national suture championship

Sunshine Medical Devices (SMD) has partnered with the Sri Lanka Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (SLAPRAS) to support Sri Lanka's first national suturing competition for undergraduate medical students, reinforcing its commitment to developing the country's future healthcare workforce through education, clinical excellence and industry collaboration.

The Master of Precision Suturing Championship brought together fourth-year medical students from 11 medical faculties across Sri Lanka, creating a national platform to identify emerging talent while strengthening practical surgical competencies at an early stage of medical training.

Dr. T. Sayandhan, Executive Director of Sunshine Healthcare Lanka Ltd and CEO of Sunshine Medical Devices and Lina Manufacturing, said the partnership reflects Sunshine Healthcare's broader vision of strengthening Sri Lanka's healthcare ecosystem through long-term investment in both technology and people. "Healthcare transformation is driven not only by innovation, but by the capability of the professionals delivering care. By partnering with SLAPRAS on this pioneering initiative, we are investing in future Surgeons by providing opportunities to learn from experts, strengthen practical skills and aspire to higher standards of clinical excellence. Developing healthcare talent today is essential to delivering better patient outcomes tomorrow," he said.

Designed as both a competition and a learning experience, the programme provided participants with direct mentorship from leading plastic and reconstructive surgeons while exposing them to the standards, discipline and precision expected in modern surgical practice. Competitors were assessed on key aspects of suturing, including tissue handling, instrument control, precision, knot security, consistency and overall technique.

Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Yasas Abeywickrama, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and President of the Sri Lanka Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (SLAPRAS), said: "This initiative is about far more than recognizing technical skill. It is about cultivating the craftsmanship, discipline and professional standards that define surgical excellence. By providing students with early exposure to structured skills development and specialist mentorship, we are helping prepare the next generation of surgeons to meet the evolving demands of healthcare."

The initiative was spearheaded by Dr. Gayan Ekanayake, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, with the objective of creating a structured national platform to complement undergraduate medical education through practical skills development, mentorship and performance-based learning.

SLAPRAS intends to establish the championship as an annual national programme, expanding opportunities for undergraduate medical students to benefit from structured surgical skills training, specialist mentorship and practical assessment.

Through this collaboration, Sunshine Medical Devices continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting the advancement of Sri Lanka's healthcare sector by investing not only in medical innovation, but also in the development of the country's future clinical leaders.