Surgeon Rohana who died while on his way to celebrate his birthday

A tragic incident has been reported from the Habarana area, where the life of a skilled surgeon who saved the lives of many others came to an unfortunate end on the road while he was on his way to celebrate his birthday. This was the untimely demise of Dr. Rohana Gamage, a 49-year-old specialist general surgeon who served at the Polonnaruwa District General Hospital.

This tragedy occurred around 3:00 PM on November 06, 2026, near a temple in the Hathe Kanuwa area on the Minneriya - Habarana main road. The severe accident happened when the car driven by the doctor, traveling from Minneriya towards Habarana, collided head-on with a sand-laden tipper truck coming from the opposite direction. The doctor's car sustained severe damage, and the seriously injured doctor succumbed to his injuries after being admitted to the Habarana Divisional Hospital.

Dr. Rohana Gamage, a resident of Polonnaruwa New Town, was traveling towards Matale at the time of the accident. He was on his way to attend a special musical evening organized by the clinical staff and friends at Matale Hospital to celebrate his birthday and his recent transfer to Polonnaruwa Hospital.

Before his recent transfer to Polonnaruwa General Hospital, he was a specialist surgeon who rendered invaluable service at both Matale Hospital and Batticaloa Hospital. Additionally, he treated patients at a private medical center in the Matale area. Colleagues commenting on his dedication to his profession say that he was a kind person who, 'though he appeared somewhat stern externally, had a soft heart like a small child internally.'

His body, which was kept at Habarana Hospital, has now been transferred to Polonnaruwa Hospital for a post-mortem examination, and the police are conducting further investigations into the cause of the accident. His demise, as a member of the Sri Lanka College of Surgeons, has been confirmed by the association, which has also stated that details regarding the final rites will be announced later.

The Minneriya Hathe Kanuwa area, where this tragedy occurred, has witnessed several serious road accidents recently. Last September, a private bus traveling from Medirigiriya to Colombo veered off the road at a bend in this area and overturned into a canal, injuring 22 people.

The untimely demise of Dr. Rohana Gamage once again highlights the tragic state of road accidents in Sri Lanka to society. According to senior traffic police officers, over 2,500 people lose their lives annually due to road accidents in the country, and in the first seven and a half months of 2026 alone, the number of deaths due to such road accidents was 1,693. The fact that a skilled surgeon who saved thousands of lives ultimately had to join these tragic statistics while on his way to celebrate his birthday is shocking not only to the entire medical field but to society as a whole.