Govt committed to care for IDPs

Rafik Jalaldeen

The Government is committed to look after all members of the Tamil community who are internally displaced and suffering under the grip of the LTTE. Adequate food and medical supplies have been dispatched to IDP camps and to the uncleared areas.

Addressing the media on the outcome of deliberation at the Financing Strategies for Healthcare at the United Nations Economic and Social Council Regional Ministerial Meeting Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said, “our region is diverse, and national health care expenditures range from fairly high to low as a percentage of GDP.”

”Civil society and the private sector have critical roles to play in the health sector but the public sector is playing the main role to provide effective and equitable health service particularly within the prevailing situation,” he added.

Responding to a question on the current situation of health care of the civilians in the IDP centres and the uncleared areas, Health Care and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said President Mahinda Rajapaksa believes that the greater responsibility is thrust on the Government to look after its own people.

Minister de Silva assuring the health care of the IDPs said that the Government keeps on sending enough medical and essential food supplies to the IDPs as well as civilians trapped under the LTTE control. Special medical teams were dispatched to treat civilians wounded by indiscriminate LTTE fire.

However, he said that only a minimal amount of medical and food items are reaching the civilians in the uncleared areas which were sent by the Government since the LTTE are grabbing these supplies as soon they reached the uncleared areas. “But we won’t stop sending medical and food supplies to the uncleared areas in spite of this situation, “ he stressed.

The Indian government had sent 52 doctors and nurses to treat the IDPs at a field hospital in Pulmodai. They were all screened and their personal data scrutinized before being allowed to the field.”It is a great help of the Indian government and India has always come to the assistance of Sri Lanka. As a friendly nation, it is a great gesture of goodwill and we appreciate their assistance. We cannot defeat terrorism without the help of the Indian government as we are part of the Indian region,” he added.

”We will keep the doors open if any would like to come and help the country. There are many countries like India, Switzerland etc who had come forward to help the IDPs and they are welcome by the Government,” he added.

He noted that more hospitals have to be built and upgraded to treat wounded civilians in the North and the East. Padaviya hospital was rebuilt and Trincomalee, Kantale, Mannar and Vavuniya hospitals upgraded and provided with additional facilities.

Minister Bogollagama reiterated that the Government is confided of achieving the Millennium Goals while countering terrorism. “The millennium goals will empower the people politically, economically and socially. It will usher a new era of development in Sri Lanka. We will achieve our millennium goals by 2015,” he added.

He emphasized that four factors were discussed during the ECOSOC Regional Ministerial Meeting at length. It was emphasized that health goals should be pursued through multi sectoral approaches.

Domestic financing is the bedrock of national health policies and sufficient resources should be allocated for poorest countries of the region. International financing is crucial and this funding has to be adequate and predictable and countries in post crisis situations face unique challenges.