Walter Patrick's contribution toward public health education in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Professor Walter Patrick entered the Colombo Medical Faculty in Sri Lanka in 1957 and completed MBBS in 1962. In 1975, Walter obtained his MPH from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and was posted to the Health Education Bureau (HEB) in Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health where he was placed in charge of the Education and Training Subunit. Walter Patrick's achievements as the head of the Education and Training Subunit are discussed under various sections of this article. It was mainly the achievements and untiring efforts of Walter Patrick that made HEB Director Dr Munasinghe's stupendous task in building up the HEB and the discipline of health education that much easier. In his personal life, Walter was married to Viji, herself a doctor. Apart from Walter's professional talents, he was a fine human being.

Keywords: Sri Lanka; Walter Patrick; health care services; health education; health promotion; primary health care; public health.