Medical supplies for Ki'linochchi district arrive in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 February 2008, 04:56 GMT]
A portion of the consignment of Medical Supplies dispatched by Ministry of Health for Ki'linochchi district, held up at Anuradhapura railway station for more than two weeks, has been brought to Vavuniyaa Friday, Dr.Sathiyamoorthy, Ki’linochchi district Deputy Director of health services (DDHS), said Sunday.

In response to his request to the officials of Anuradhapura railway station, the consignment has been brought to Mathawaachchi railway station, and from there they were transported to the storage facility of Vavuniyaa Health Department, Dr.Sathiyamoorthy told the media.

The stock of medical supplies transported by lorries belonging to Vavuniyaa health department and Multi Purpose Cooperative Society (MPCS) was thoroughly checked by Sri Lanka Army(SLA) both at Madawaachchi railway station and Madawaachchi check point before being permitted by to be transported to Vavuniyaa, DDHS said.

The supplies represent a part of the medical supplies required for the first quarter of 2008 for Ki'linochchi district hospitals, and permission has been sought from the Ministry of Defence to transport them from Vavuniyaa to Ki’linochchi through SLA check point at Omanthai, Dr.Sathiyamoorthy said.

With one and half months already passed since the beginning of the year, there is an acute shortage of essential medicines and hospital supplies in all hospitals in the district, including Ki'linochchi Government Hospital. Antibiotics, essential needs for the various clinics, and medicines required to treat the infants are already exhausted, and the quantity of other items are fast diminishing, medical sources said.

If the required supplies do not reach the district in time, the health services will be seriously hampered, medical sources said.