Main activities of the Trust

The main activity of the Trust is a Chelation Therapy Clinic at Ratnam's Hospital Colombo.

The Poorna Health Care Trust launched the first Chelation Therapy Clinic in Sri Lanka in 1996. One of our Trustees, Ravi Jayewardene discovered Chelation Therapy when he decided not to do Coronary by-Pass surgery in 1991 after suffering a heart attack. His search for a alternative to bypass surgery led him to Dr. Neil Scrimgeour who had his practice in Perth Western Australia.

Dr. Neil Scrimgeour
Our Founder

Has made regular visits to Sri Lanka since 1996 and remains the much loved founder of the Poorna Health Care Trust, Chelation Therapy Clinic.

Dr. Neil Scrimgeour was born in Gajah , Malaysia on the 2 nd March, 1931 . He was educated at Dollar Academy , Scotland , St. Andrews University 1948-1955 where he excelled and graduated. He received a “Most Distinguished Graduate” Gold Medal and was also awarded the MacEwan Prize in Surgery.

His work experience as a young doctor included assisting an early cardiovascular surgeon as far back as 1955 and as an assistant researcher, Department of Medicine, Dundee . He also did his National Service term by serving in the Medicine Unit, Singapore Military Hospital for two years.

His next appointment was as resident in Post Graduate Medical School to Professor John Michael. This was one of the most prestigious junior medical opportunities in the UK . After this period he worked as Registrar to Professor I.G.W. Hill, Dundee Royal Infirmary.

In 1961 he moved to Perth Western Australia taking up General Practice for 25 years. He introduced orthopedic medicine James Cyriax style in W.A. during this period. In 1986 he started Chelation Therapy and followed courses in Chelation in Reno , Nevada in 1993 and Cleveland , Ohio in 1995.

In 1996 he visited Sri Lanka for the first time at our request and trained five lady doctors in Chelation Therapy. He retired from his practice in Western Australia at the end of 2003.

The Poorna Health Care Trust has seven doctors and four Sisters. The names of our doctors are


Dr. (Mrs) M. Vamadevan
MBBS (Cey) DA (Lond) FFARCS (Eng)

Dr. Vamadevan who heads the Chelation Clinic’s team of doctors is a Consultant Anaethetist in General and Neuro anaesthesia. She is the only trained neuro anaesthatist in the country and still working after retirement from Government service, in that field.

Dr. Vamadevan’s wide experience in the field of anaesthesiology includes working as senior Registrar in Anaesthesia at the New Charing Cross Teaching Hospital in London in 1973 and as Consultant Anesthetist in the Government General Hospital in Colombo 1974 and again in 1974 as Consultant Anaesthetist in charge of the Neuro Surgical Unit of Colombo General Hospital.

After 3 months training in Neuro Anaethesia at Atkinson Morley Hospital in Wimbledon and the National Hospital for nervous Diseases Queen Square London, she worked as locum Consultant Anaesthatist in London for three months. In 1977 after working as SMO in Anaesthesia in Kong Wah Hospital in Kowloon Hong Kong she returned to Sri Lanka and finally retired from Government Service in March 1996. Since then she has been working in many private hospitals in Colombo as a Consultant Anaesthatist.

Dr. (Mrs) T. Saravanapavananthan
MBBS (Cey) DA (Lond) FFARCS (Eng)

Doctor Saravanapavananthan has worked as a Consultant Anaesthatist  in many hospitals in Sri Lanka. In 1988 she was the Professor of Pharmacology in Sri Lanka. Apart from these achievements she has many scholarly achievements to her name in a wider field of medicine.

Doctor Saravanapavananthan has read many papers abroad and here, and have submitted articles that have been published in the Singapore Medical Journal. She is also the author of a booklet on Chelation Therapy for Vascular Disease. Another publication of hers titled” An unusual cause of apnoea on the table due to Streptomycin” was published in the Singapore Medical Journal in 1984.

Dr. (Mrs) Nirmala Nadarasah
MBBS (Cey) M.I.M.P.A

Dr. Nadarasah  has done clinical medicine/ Chelation Therapy. Also has over 30 years post graduate experience in many hospitals in Sri Lanka and in India as well.

Dr. (Mrs) A. Kanagaratnam
MBBS (Cey)

Dr. Kanagaratnam served as a Medical Officer for 11 years in Government Hospitals - 28 years as a Medical Officer in Private Nursing Homes. And also as Medical Officer - Chelation Clinic from 1997. (Part time)

Dr. (Mrs) W.M. S. Gunawardene
MBBS (Cey) D.A. (Lond) F.R.C.A. (Lond)

Former Associate – Dept. of Anaesthesia – University of Iowa City- U.S.A. Specialist Anaesthesiologist – Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital – Hong Kong.

Hon. Clinical Associate- Professor- University of Hong Kong.