The ICRC has upgraded cold storage facilities at the Anuradhapura government hospital to help preserve bodies of LTTE cadres killed on the Vanni and Weli Oya fronts.

According to the latest ICRC release on Thursday (17), it would upgrade the cold storage facilities at the Padaviya government hospital to preserve bodies of fallen combatants until arrangements could be made with both parties to transfer bodies.

The ICRC had transferred the remains of 50 fallen combatants from Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya and Welioya through the Omanthai entry/exit point. "To help preserve the bodies the ICRC upgraded the cold storage facilities in the mortuary of the Anuradhapura hospital and started carrying out similar work in the Padaviya hospital," the official said. Army headquarters said bodies of LTTE cadres killed on the Mannar, Vavuniya and Weli Oya fronts would be handed over to government hospitals in the region.

The ICRC said shortage of staff and the absence of regular deliveries of supplies from the Health ministry had caused severe problems at clinics and hospitals in the Vanni. According to the ICRC they were running out of basic medicines such as paracetamol, antibiotics and vaccines.

The ICRC has secured the ministry approval to provide hospitals in the Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts with medical equipment and supplies.

The ICRC also supports the health ministry’s child immunization programmes and ante-natal care provided for pregnant women in Vavuniya North. Almost 50 children were vaccinated and nearly 20 women received ante-natal care during the month of March, the spokesperson said.

"We accompany Ministry of Health staff – one doctor and two midwives – to Nedunkerni and Kanakarayankulam, where they run clinics for pregnant women and ensure that children follow the prescribed immunization programme," Yvonne Ginifer, an ICRC health delegate based in Vavuniya, said.

In March alone, 54 patients requiring specialized surgery, medical tests or treatment, accompanied by 35 caretakers and 10 medical staff from the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, were transported to Colombo on ICRC-chartered flights. In addition, medical equipment, vaccines prescribed for children through the national immunization programme and drugs for pregnant women were routinely transported on Jaffna-bound flights.

"Vaccines must be stored and transported at a certain temperature. The only way to bring them to Jaffna while meeting this requirement is by air. Transporting them by ship is not an option because of the lack of cold-chain facilities and the length of time needed," says Toon Vandenhove, the ICRC’s head of delegation in Colombo.