Norwegian Red Cross hospital commences its services in Eachchilampathu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 19:33 GMT]
Twenty member of medical team of the Norwegian Red Cross Society Tuesday commenced its services in its temporary hospital put up in Eachchilampathu village which is in the LTTE controlled area down south of the Trincomalee district under the co-ordination of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC). This temporary hospital is to function for about three months till the medical services in the area improves, sources said.

A Norwegian Redd Cross doctor attending a patient.

The Norwegian medical team, which includes a surgeon, gynaecologist, paediatrician, psychiatrist, physician, nurses and water sanitation engineer arrived on 5 January with eight lorry loads of medical equipments, medicine, generators and other materials needed for a full-fledged hospital at the request of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS), the sources said.

The temporary hospital is established in partially completed building for the proposed government hospital. The temporary hospital is having an operating theatre with the intention of serving the affected people up to Vaakarai and other villages come under the Eachchilampathu division, the sources said.


A section of Norwegian medical team.

274 patients were treated at the OPD and 12 others, including 2 pregnant mothers were admitted to the wards in the temporary hospital, Mr.E.G.Gnanagunalan, SLRCS Trincomalee district chairman said.

Meanwhile, representatives of ICRC, SLRCS Chairman, Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), volunteers of SLRCS, EHED, officials of government departments and TEHS discussed in regard to co-ordination of implementing medical services in hospitals, camps in resettled areas, the sources said.

In the meantime four Korean doctors assisted by 2 nurses and 4 pharmacists conducted a medical camp at Mavadichchenai village. About 380 patients were treated. Volunteers of SLRCS and EHED provided necessary assistance. World Vision at the invitation of Trincomalee Methodist Church also conducted a medical camp assisted by Rev. S.S.Terrence, head of the church, the sources said.

Korean doctors conducting medical camp in Mavadichchenai.

Medical camp in Mavadichchenai.