Different types of drugs valued at Rs. 320 m sent to North

COLOMBO: As instructed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa that humanitarian aid should not be denied even to LTTE terrorists who are injured in conflict, the Health Ministry has already dispatched all the drugs required for hospitals in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi in the North, said the Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition Nimal Siripala de Silva, states a Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition press release.

This was revealed by the Minister when the head of delegation of the International Committee of Red Cross Toon Vandenhove met him at his Ministry to discuss about the supply of drugs to the uncleared areas in the North.

Necessary drugs needed for the third quarter of the year have now been delivered to all Medical institutions of the area inclusive of the two District hospitals of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu by the Ministry of Health at the request of Provincial Health Directors.

285 varieties of drugs inclusive of the drugs used for surgeries worth over Rs. 320 Million have been dispatched to these two districts in 10 lorries.

But the Minister brought to the notice of the ICRC head that due to road blocks and heavy shelling by the LTTE it was difficult to send these lorries beyond Vavuniya.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva requested the head of the Sri Lanka delegation to assist in the despatch of these lorries now stranded in Vavuniya to the Hospital Directors of Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi.

The Minister said inspite of the obstacles placed by the terrorists, the Health Ministry has taken measures to provide the necessary medicines to the people of the North and the East.

The head of ICRC agreed to take these 10 lorry loads of drugs under the ICRC banner to be delivered to directors of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu hospitals.

Dr. B.V.H.S Beneragama the Director of Medical Supplies Division of the Ministry of Health said that essential medicines worth Rs. 25 Million which awaited the dispatch in 25 lorries to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital and other hospitals in the district were last week sent by ships due to the recent disturbances on the Jaffna A-9 highway.