Damage to Northeast hospitals yet to be assessed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 January 2005, 14:53 GMT]
No estimate has yet been carried out about the damages caused by the tsunami to hospitals at Velvetithurai, Mullaitivu, Ninthavur, and Pothuvil and the rural hospitals at Chalamimadu and Kuchchaveli. Sources at the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine of the Northeast said that four district hospitals, six rural health centres, one rural hospital and two terminal health units have been destroyed in the tsunami disaster in the east.

"Until these hospitals are re-built they would be housed temporarily in other buildings," said Mr. S. Thirumanna, Assistant Secretary to provincial health ministry.

Two MoH offices in the northeast have also been destroyed, he added.

The Italian government has under taken to re-construct the Kinniya hospital.

The Italian team was already conducting a feasibility study at Kinniya, he added.