In 1847, Dr Samual Fisk Green a young medical graduate from New York, United States founded Manipay Hospital, which later was renamed Green Memorial Hospital. This mission hospital was the first medical school in Sri Lanka taking in the first students in 1848. Manipay hospital flourishing state of the art medical institution for more than a century, its main objective to provide medical service to the surrounding communities. In 1948, the Centenary Block was added. Along with other institutions in Jaffna, the civil war ravaged what was once a large medical complex, reducing the hospital to a small dispensary.
This was the second oldest teaching hospital set up in South Asia. During its glory days the hospital served the community with all medical and surgical departments and one of the best maternity wards in the whole island.
When the American Missionaries left Ceylon, the Jaffna diocese of the Church of South India- JDCSI was set up and it took control of running the hospital. It is run by a board of governors.
The hospital was revived in 2004 by well wishers including Mr Anandan Arnold ( Partner in Accountancy firm BBK, UK and Dr Jayantha Arnold Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist , UK who subsequently formed the ” Friends of Manipay Hospital “ ( FOM ) a registered UK charity.
They contacted the then Bishop Dr Jebanesan who happily welcomed the voluntary help offered to revitalise the hospital.
Dr Preman Jeyaratnam, a Consultant Anaesthetist from the UK took early retirement to go back and serve in Manipay as Medical Superintendent and made the Hospital functional once again.
Dr Parasan Arulantham a Consultant Paediatrician from the UK also served in the Hospital for a short period.
A team of nurses recruited locally were sponsored by FOM for training in india to staff the Hospital. Friends of Manipay Hospital was set up as a result and was registered as a charity by the UK Charity Commission.
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