Hudson Silva

Deshabandu Dr. F. G. Hudson Silva was the founder and president of the International Eye Bank, Tissue Bank & the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society, and an Honorary Fellow of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka.

Dr. Hudson Silva of Sri Lanka launched his campaign to collect corneas in 1958 when he was still a Medical Student after completing his secondary education at Nalanda College Colombo and he received his first set of corneas in 1959. He established the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society in 1961 and for many years continued to operate a mini eye bank from his residence with the help of his wife Iranganie (nee de Silva Kularatne). Dr. Hudson Silva relentlessly pursued his campaign and succeeded in persuading the majority Buddhist population of Sri Lanka that the donation of eyes after death was a meritorious act. As the campaign gathered momentum, thousands signed up to donate their eyes, the membership of the Eye Donation Society grew rapidly and branch societies sprung up throughout the country.

Since then, the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society has gifted over 100,000 corneas to restore the sight of the blind in Sri Lanka and 62 other countries and Dr. Hudson Silva has been honoured by the people and heads of many countries with honorary titles and awards. An Eye Hospital in Pakistan has been named after him. His successful campaign has been featured in many international newspapers and magazines and the Reader's Digest has published several articles about him.

The Human Tissue Act passed by the Sri Lanka parliament in 1987 enabled Dr. Hudson Silva to establish the Model Human Tissue Bank in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Now in addition to eyes, Sri Lanka also donates human tissues to the world.

Dr. Silva died in Colombo, Sri Lanka on October 22, 1999.

Links

 * International Atomic Energy Agency – Tissue Bank : Sri lanka


 * “He gave sight to humans” – Indian Express