The Indian Government has donated drugs worth Rs. 20 million to the Health Ministry for the use of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Mullaitivu and IDPs temporarily sheltered in social welfare villages in cleared areas, the Health Ministry said.

Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told The Island that it was a magnanimous gesture of the Indian Government to donate valuable stock of drugs required by a large number of IDPs who were fleeing to Government controlled areas from Mullaitivu.

He said that among the IDPs some people had sustained injuries as a result of exchange of fire by both sides. It was the wish of the Government security forces to launch offensives against the LTTE without causing any injuries to civilians. The Government had already taken action to regularly provide medical requirements to IDPs.

Minister de Silva added that the Health Ministry and Social Welfare Ministry had coordinated their relief measures provided to IDPs and the Health Ministry had ensured that medical and nursing staff were supplied adequate stocks of drugs and coordination activities in welfare villages had been provided to meet any type of emergency.