Medical supplies to all hospitals including Killinochchi - Health Minister tells Baur

COLOMBO: The Government has taken steps to send anti-chikungunya drugs and other medical facilities to all hospitals including the Killinochchi Hospital where most of the inmates are LTTE combatants injured while attacking the Government Security Forces, Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

Minister de Silva said this when the Norwegian Special Peace Envoy Jon Hansen Baur met him at his Ministry Office at Sausiripaya, where the Minister as the Head of the Government Peace Delegation discussed with the Norwegian Peace Envoy the numerous problems the people in Jaffna including the re-opening of the A9 highway and resumption of peace talks between the Government and the LTTE.

Minister de Silva explained to the Peace Envoy the problem of supplying food and other essential commodities to 35,000 civilians forcibly confined to Vakarai under LTTE threat and various other problems caused by the LTTE intransigence.

He also explained how the LTTE prevented and turned back the lorries carrying food to Vakarai a couple of days ago.

The Minister expressed Government's optimism in resuming peace talks with the LTTE in spite of the LTTE intransigence.

Jon Hansen Baur said that on his visit to Killinochchi he expects to discuss with the LTTE hierarchy, the main issues of supplying essential food commodities to the North, re-opening of A9 highway, transport of essential goods to Vakarai and resumption of peace talks between the Government and the LTTE and expressed hopes of obtaining an optimistic reaction from the LTTE.