Wounded thousands lack medical supplies, ICRC "worn out"

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 April 2009, 02:55 GMT]
Doctors working in the remaining area of fighting in Sri Lanka are "worn out," and there aren't enough [medical] supplies to treat the hundreds, or thousands, of injured people, said International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) Country Chief, Paul Castella, according to a BBC report Monday.

"The situation there is very difficult. The makeshift health facilities that are still existing are not immune of the effects of the hostilities.

"The Ministry of Health staff still working there is really worn out - these people are working for months now without any break, they work day and night. And medical supplies are lacking," Castella added.

BBC report further said, that the ICRC would like to help the people coming out of the safe zone by land, but the agency says it would like to help people escaping the zone by land, but it had not yet been given access.

Meanwhile, Guardian UK, reported that "civilians fleeing fighting have been interned by the Government of Sri Lanka in cramped, makeshift camps with overflowing drains, water shortages and the threat of disease looming large in the sweltering, unsanitary conditions. In the camp people are herded behind coils of razor wire strung out between sharp wooden stakes and are not allowed to leave."

External Links:

BBC:		Red Cross 'worn out' in Sri Lanka
Guardian:		Civilians held in Sri Lanka camps face disease threat