The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry has come under attack for engineering a health disaster in LTTE administered Vanni by blocking medical supplies to the region.
In its latest situation report released on April 17, the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) said the lack of regular deliveries of supplies from the country’s health ministry has resulted in clinics and hospitals in the Vanni (the four northern districts of Sri Lanka) running out of basic medicines such as paracetamol, antibiotics and vaccines.
In addition, the limited number of staff available to care for routine cases alongside war casualties has become a critical issue for several hospitals in northern Sri Lanka, ICRC added.
The Deputy Provincial Directors of Health Services (DPDHS) for Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu, have both recently raised their concerns about the severe lack of material resources to run the health services in the two districts. These two districts in Vanni suffer material shortages to run the health services because these materials are blocked at the checkpoints in Omanthai and Vavuniya by the Sri Lanka Defense Ministry.
Commenting on the situation, LTTE Spokesperson for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Ms. Selvi, said: “the concerns raised by the DPDHS highlight the stark conditions in which the health services in Vanni are struggling by the man made disaster created by the Sri Lanka Defense Ministry.”
“It is worth reminding ourselves what the United Nations human rights instruments have to say about the responsibility to provide adequate health services, especially to the children. The Convention on the Rights of the Child in Article 24 it says:
"State Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services."
Selvi questioned the Sri Lankan government logic for denying basic medical supplies to Tamils and urged the international community to react to this gross human rights violation committed by the state.
“Under the pretext of ensuring security in the south of the island is the Sri Lankan state denying the very basic medicines to the Tamil children? Has the international community failed to notice this gross human rights violation?” Selvi asked.
Deputy Provincial Director of Health Service (DPDHS) division office recently said that medicine quota for the district hospital for the first quarter of 2008 is yet to arrive.
This quota should have arrived prior to the start of the quarter in January but they have not arrived even after the quarter ended by end of March. The medicines have been stagnating in Vavuniya without permission from the Ministry of Defense. The DPDHS expressed hope that they will arrive some time soon. There are no stocks for the Amoxil syrup, a common pediatric antibiotic, and Diabetes medication. Patients are in serious danger due to lack of these medicines.
Meanwhile, Mullaiththeevu DPDHS has told media that only 20% of the fuel supplies needed to operate the district hospital, two sub-hospitals and six pharmacies in the district, has been allowed across the entry point at Oamanthai by the Sri Lankan forces.
The Mullaithivu DPDHS also raised his concern about the huge reduction of the fuel allocation to his health services. Although unlimited amount of fuel was permitted during the ceasefire period the amount permitted has been gradually reduced further and further.
Mullaithivu DPDHS said that the health services in his district that is made up of a vast area and sparse population need 14,000 liters per month at the very minimum. With this fuel the Mullaithivu district hospital, two sub-hospitals in the district, and six pharmacies must be operated. This fuel is needed to run the electricity generation in these hospitals and also to run the ambulances that must take serious cases to the Vavuniya hospital. Despite these urgent needs only 2750 liters of fuel has been allocated for the health services in the Mullaithivu district.
In its latest situation report released on April 17, the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) said the lack of regular deliveries of supplies from the country’s health ministry has resulted in clinics and hospitals in the Vanni (the four northern districts of Sri Lanka) running out of basic medicines such as paracetamol, antibiotics and vaccines.
In addition, the limited number of staff available to care for routine cases alongside war casualties has become a critical issue for several hospitals in northern Sri Lanka, ICRC added.
The Deputy Provincial Directors of Health Services (DPDHS) for Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu, have both recently raised their concerns about the severe lack of material resources to run the health services in the two districts. These two districts in Vanni suffer material shortages to run the health services because these materials are blocked at the checkpoints in Omanthai and Vavuniya by the Sri Lanka Defense Ministry.
Commenting on the situation, LTTE Spokesperson for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Ms. Selvi, said: “the concerns raised by the DPDHS highlight the stark conditions in which the health services in Vanni are struggling by the man made disaster created by the Sri Lanka Defense Ministry.”
“It is worth reminding ourselves what the United Nations human rights instruments have to say about the responsibility to provide adequate health services, especially to the children. The Convention on the Rights of the Child in Article 24 it says:
"State Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services."
Selvi questioned the Sri Lankan government logic for denying basic medical supplies to Tamils and urged the international community to react to this gross human rights violation committed by the state.
“Under the pretext of ensuring security in the south of the island is the Sri Lankan state denying the very basic medicines to the Tamil children? Has the international community failed to notice this gross human rights violation?” Selvi asked.
Deputy Provincial Director of Health Service (DPDHS) division office recently said that medicine quota for the district hospital for the first quarter of 2008 is yet to arrive.
This quota should have arrived prior to the start of the quarter in January but they have not arrived even after the quarter ended by end of March. The medicines have been stagnating in Vavuniya without permission from the Ministry of Defense. The DPDHS expressed hope that they will arrive some time soon. There are no stocks for the Amoxil syrup, a common pediatric antibiotic, and Diabetes medication. Patients are in serious danger due to lack of these medicines.
Meanwhile, Mullaiththeevu DPDHS has told media that only 20% of the fuel supplies needed to operate the district hospital, two sub-hospitals and six pharmacies in the district, has been allowed across the entry point at Oamanthai by the Sri Lankan forces.
The Mullaithivu DPDHS also raised his concern about the huge reduction of the fuel allocation to his health services. Although unlimited amount of fuel was permitted during the ceasefire period the amount permitted has been gradually reduced further and further.
Mullaithivu DPDHS said that the health services in his district that is made up of a vast area and sparse population need 14,000 liters per month at the very minimum. With this fuel the Mullaithivu district hospital, two sub-hospitals in the district, and six pharmacies must be operated. This fuel is needed to run the electricity generation in these hospitals and also to run the ambulances that must take serious cases to the Vavuniya hospital. Despite these urgent needs only 2750 liters of fuel has been allocated for the health services in the Mullaithivu district.
