The Directorate of Health Services of the SLAF in collaboration with the Sri Lanka College of Military Medicine conducted a symposium on “Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)-Clinical Update” on the 19th of February 2020 at the Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo. The symposium was chaired by Air Vice Marshal LR Jayaweera- Director Health Services of the SLAF, Surg R Adm GSR Jayawardena- Director General Health Services of the Sri Lanka Navy and Brigadier PAC Fernando Director of Army Medical Services.

The symposium consisted of invaluable lecture presentations conducted by Dr. Nilesh Fernandopulle, Consultant Gastroenterologist-NHSL, Dr. Uditha Dassanayake, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist at the Teaching Hospital Anuradhapura, Dr. Jayamali Jayaweera, Consultant Physician at the SLAF Hospital in Colombo and Dr. Dipesh Sonawne, Senior Advisor in Gastroenterlogy from India. Among the topics discussed were “Approach to a patient with NAFLD”, “Metabolic syndrome and Lifestyle modification”, “Updates in NAFLD Pharmacotherapy” and “Management of a patient with Cirrhosis”.

The symposium was attended by approximately 60 Medical Consultants and Medical Officers of the Sri Lanka Army, Navy, Air Force and Police. It proved to be an extremely productive symposium, especially by way of enhancing the knowledge of medical officers on the rising threat of Fatty Liver among military personnel and its latest management strategies.