Ceylon Holistic’ Revolutionising Holistic Health Care in Sri Lanka

Ceylon Holistic is a pioneering digital healthcare platform, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka with a prime focus on Holistic Medical Systems such as Ayurveda, Traditional medicine, Siddha, Yunani and much more!

Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, this digital clinic system was established to safely bridge the sudden disconnect caused between medical professionals and patients – especially those suffering from non-communicable diseases and the elderly who, as a high-risk group to the virus, couldn’t reach hospitals to continue their regular treatments. Ceylon Holistic is supported both technically and financially through HackaDev – the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka’s flagship youth and innovation programme which empowers Sri Lanka’s youth to be more innovative and entrepreneurial and take leadership in solving the most pressing development challenges in a sustainable manner, by providing them with opportunities and the necessary next-generation skills.

The HackaDev Enterprise Support Programme (HESP) is an initiative that is aimed at rebuilding enterprises and empowering entrepreneurs of the HackaDev alumni network affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the first cohort successfully implemented in 2020/21, it provided  06-months of comprehensive further development support to 15 enterprises. Curve Up was entrusted as the expert service provider to manage the seed funding and incubation support process of the HESP interventions, who were successful in providing necessary support and hands on guidance to entrepreneurs in their journey, contributing to the successful completion of the programme.

With a vision to promote holistic wellness – inclusive of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social wellbeing – and to contribute towards building a healthier future, Ceylon Holistic provides a wide range of telehealth services including 24×7 e-Channeling, virtual consultations and medical advice, an online pharmacy, and personalised medicine deliveries. Apart from serving as a safe system amidst the pandemic, Ceylon Holistic is also a space for the integration of various medical systems primarily focused on promoting holistic wellbeing and creating awareness around the same!

“Holistic wellbeing has taken the centre stage amidst the pandemic as more people shift towards living balanced and healthier lives. People are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of cultivating wellness in every area of life – be it physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or social, and our brand has been able to create a crucial impact in this regard. We believe that Ceylon Holistic is creating a safe environment for people, connecting them to relevant health professionals at this critical period of the pandemic. Our platform is addressing the dire needs of the Sri Lankan community while also helping flatten the COVID-19 curve,” stated Dr. Umesha Withanachchi, Founder and CEO of Ceylon Holistic.

Commenting on the initiative, Ms. Kithmini Nissanka, Knowledge Management and Reporting Associate, Policy and Engagement Team, UNDP in Sri Lanka stated: “UNDP, through its HackaDev programme, is happy to have supported Ceylon Holistic in its journey towards creating a virtual medical consultation platform which aims to carry Sri Lanka’s traditional medicine and healthcare system into the digital age. While congratulating Dr. Umesha and her team on their successful entrepreneurial journey, HackaDev continues to support young people and their innovations like Ceylon Holistic, towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while promoting social innovation and entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka.”

Ceylon Holistic’s significant role as an impactful social enterprise also extends to Sri Lanka’s wellness tourism sector which faced several setbacks due to the pandemic. As Ayurvedic retreats lost continuity and medical professionals in tourism-related fields lost the platforms to connect with their patients, Ceylon Holistic took it upon itself to facilitate the necessary pathways for local and international practitioners alike – where they would be entitled to: the telemed facility to connect with patients; an expanded patient base apart from regular hospital/ private dispensary patients; a space to maintain the medical histories of patients; and a blog to publish articles and research.

In the hope of making knowledge more accessible and to encourage people to adapt to healthier lifestyles, Ceylon Holistic is highly committed to being an informative digital platform where one can find invaluable information, resources and awareness programmes from a combination of integrative medical systems. It also seeks to expand its global footprint by opening up its platform to holistic medical practitioners around the world, giving locals the opportunity to experience exotic therapies while also allowing foreign nationals to reach out to indigenous medical practitioners in Sri Lanka.

Ceylon Holistic is making great strides in empowering the health care system in Sri Lanka and is continually striving for a healthier future. Its ultimate goal is to help people make the shift towards a holistic lifestyle, which in the long term will play a significant role in preventing non-communicable diseases.

UNDP in Sri Lanka, together with its partners, are committed to empower young entrepreneurs through concrete and sustainable action, and looks forward to supporting many such HackaDev Alumni entrepreneurs in the coming years, to emerge from the significant socio-economic effects from the pandemic and build forward better.

For more information, please visit www.ceylonholistic.com.

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