The morning session was dedicated to establishing the Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) Group for the THRIVE Project and holding its inaugural meeting.
Opening the session, Prof. Athula Sumathipala, Director of the Institute for Research and Development in Health and Social Care (IRD), highlighted the importance of shaping research with the participation of the people who are expected to benefit from it.
Dr. Oshini Jayasinghe, Principal Investigator of the THRIVE Project, introduced the project and its objectives, while Ms. Chamali Jayasinghe presented on previous Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) activities.
The session was attended by Medical Officers of Health, Public Health Midwives, as well as mothers with lived experience of perinatal depression and members of their families.
Following the presentations, participants expressed their interest in contributing their experiences and perspectives to the THRIVE Project as CEI members. This marked an important first step towards building a strong community foundation for the study.
IRD extends its sincere appreciation to everyone who participated in the session. Special appreciation is extended to the mothers and their family members who came forward to share their experiences and perspectives in shaping the research.
The THRIVE Project is supported by the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka through a Direct Aid Program Grant.
