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| Sunday, 17 February 2002 |
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Malaria ravages LTTE-held Vanni by FRANCES BULATHSINGHALA The Sri Lanka Red Cross medical officials based in the poverty stricken LTTE controlled Vanni region warn that a malaria epidemic had gripped the area and that an average of around one hundred cases are reported daily. Most of the patients are said to suffer from recurrent fever. This was revealed when the 'Sunday Observer' visited the mobile camps conducted by the SLRC in Mullaitivu and Killinochchi last week. Urging the government to take urgent action to control the disease the SLRC doctors functioning in the areas of Mullaitivu and Killinochchi through mobile medical camps say that intensified Malathion spraying would reduce the epidemic reaching a higher level. The Sri Lanka Red Cross is now fully geared to attend to this problem with all the necessary medicine. There was a time in the war milieu in the area when the Red Cross faced a shortage of drugs for other diseases including malaria, which are quite common to the region. "Now this situation is under control and we can adequately treat the patients who seek assistance from us", Dr. T. W. Jeykularajah, SLRC Chairman Mullaitivu branch, and the Mullaitivu Medical Officer of Health, said at the Kumulamunai SLRC mobile camp conducted at the former MOH building. The SLRC health coordinator of the Killinochchi branch, Mr. N. Nadarajah said that all measures are being taken by the Sri Lanka Red Cross, to bring the malaria epidemic under control. Meanwhile, the Registered Medical Officer, Kathirkamu Dharmalingam, based at the Vidathalthivu rural hospital en route from Perimanamkulam to Malawi, which commenced operations on February 1, told the 'Sunday Observer' that despite the spraying of malathion which began from this month after a long lapse, it was inadequate to control the spread of the disease. "From February 1 since the work at the hospital commenced, I have treated around fifty patients a day. Most of them are afflicted with malaria", RMO Dharmalingam said. The Vidathalthivu hospital, now equipped with five beds and a few benches is the only hospital in the areas of Vidathalthivu, Periamadhu, Thirikeswaran, Andamkulam, Illapakaderei and Arthimotai. "At present there is sufficient drugs for the treatment of malaria. We hope that the quantity will be increased in time" Dr. Dharmalingam said. There is only one district hospital for the Vanni uncleared region, one rural hospital and four central dispensaries, all functioning extremely sparsely. |
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