War main cause of heart attack among Sinhala women

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
One of the main causes of heart attacks among Sinhala women in the southern province of Sri Lanka is the war in the Northeast said Dr. Ruwan Ekanayake of from the Karapitiya hospital in Galle.

He was speaking at a seminar held at the Galle town hall this week. Dr. Ekanayake has researched the incidence of heart attack among adult women in the southern province and was presenting his findings at the seminar.

The majority of women with heart ailment or who have died of heart attacks in recent years have either husbands, sons or brothers in Sri Lankan army units fighting in the Northeast. A number of them had lost their beloved ones in the war said Dr. Ekanayake.

Lack of communication between front line soldiers and their women folk in the villages is compounded by the very meagre leave arrangements the Sri Lankan army is able to provide for its troops in the war front, have placed a great burden on the women.

The constant fighting in the north and a creaking logistical system have made R&R (Rest and Recreation) and rotation of troops unthinkable.

Many body bags never reach the right place. Hundreds of soldiers are missing in action.

The womenfolk of Sri Lankan soldiers come under a lot of stress as a consequence, having to make ends meet while going from pillar to post trying to find out about their men in the battle zones especially.

The southern province supplies the largest number of recruits to the Sri Lankan army. Most are from very poor families.