Top medicare for Northern civilians

Northern Province, Padaviya Hospital get 304 medical officers, 986 nurses:

Officials to visit welfare centres regularly:

The major hospitals involved with providing care to IDPs

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has streamlined medical and sanitation facilities provided to civilians in welfare centres in the North by posting an enhanced cadre of 304 medical officers and 986 nurses to the Northern Province and Padaviya hospitals.

In addition, arrangements have been made for a Senior Registrar (Anaesthesia), a paediatric surgeon, a JMO, a CSTH and another surgeon to visit the welfare centres regularly, said the Health Ministry in a communique issued yesterday.

There is also a 188 bed field hospital built by Medicine Sans Frontiers at Settikulam and an Indian field hospital with 115 beds and nursing and paramedical staff at the welfare centre at Menik Farm to cater to the civilians.

Poovarasakulam hospital has been earmarked to patients with chicken pox and other communicable diseases.

Adequate stocks of essential drugs deployed from Regional Medical Supplies divisions are sent to hospitals in the North co-ordinated by a senior director attached to Vavuniya.

A drug store has been set-up in Vavuniya to despatch the drugs while 37 ambulances have been deployed to hospitals in the North.

Apart from this, 40 ambulances have also been provided to Public Health centres.

Special emphasis has also been laid on preventive healthcare at the welfare centres. Quality analysis of drinking water is carried out by health staff regularly to ensure safe drinking water supplies to welfare centres in addition to chlorination of water sources.

Preventive measures include routine immunization of children below five years, de worming children under two years, provision of vitamin capsules to prevent malnutrition and family planning advice and assistance.

Every primary healthcare centre with 24 hour ambulance service operates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily covering 10,000 to 15,000 people. Nutritional screening centres will also be set up at all primary healthcare centres in the five welfare zones.

All civilians have been provided with Triposha on arrival at the centres.