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17.08.2009
Fourth consignment of relief goods from India meant for the IDP population in northern Sri Lanka
PR - 24
The High Commissioner of India, Mr. Alok Prasad, today handed over to the UN Resident Representative, Mr. Neil Buhne, the fourth consignment of relief goods from India meant for the IDP population in northern Sri Lanka. The 600-ton consignment, which arrived in Colombo on 8th August and is valued at over USD 3 million, is a symbol of India’s continuing concern for the welfare of the IDPs. It consists of more than 600,000 packages of grocery items, utensils, plastic mats, clothing materials including children’s clothing, footwear, jerrycans and personal hygiene items. Almost all the items in the consignment are sufficient to cover the needs of 80,000 families, i.e., nearly the entire IDP population in the north.
The Government of India wishes to express its appreciation to the Government of Sri Lanka for facilitating the arrival and clearance of this important consignment. It also wishes to thank the UNHCR and the UNWFP for undertaking the distribution of these relief materials to the IDPs as well as to those families that are expected to be resettled in the coming weeks and months.
The Government of India hopes that the process of resettlement will continue apace. It reiterates its readiness to work with the Government of Sri Lanka in assisting the latter to fulfil its commitment for early resettlement of all displaced families to their original habitat.
Colombo
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06.08.2009
Government of India despatched a 62-member Indian medical team and an emergency field hospital which arrived in Sri Lanka on 10th March 2009
Following a request from the Government of Sri Lanka in February 2009, the Government of India despatched a 62-member Indian medical team and an emergency field hospital which arrived in Sri Lanka on 10th March 2009. The team set up a hospital in Pulmoddai to treat medical evacuees from the conflict in northern Sri Lanka. During the following two months, the medical team treated more than 3,000 patients evacuated by the ICRC to Pulmoddai. The team also catered to the medical needs of IDPs housed in some of the camps in Pulmoddai.
Following the conclusion of the conflict in May, it was agreed between the two governments that the medical team and the hospital would shift to the IDP camps in the Menik Farm area to cater to the medical requirements of IDPs who had started arriving there in large numbers. With the cooperation of the Ministry of Health and other agencies of the Government of Sri Lanka, a very effective facility was set up in Zone 1 of Menik Farm, which has been functioning since 26th May 2009. In this period of over two months, the hospital, which has treated more than 25,000 patients by now, has not only fully met the medical needs of the inhabitants of Zone 1, but also of those living in other zones who are being referred to the Indian hospital. The hospital has also been distributing free medicines and providing surgical facilities as required. Attached is a record of the activities of the hospital since its arrival and the facilities that it has provided.
Since most of the urgent medical needs of the IDPs in the Menik Farm zone assigned to the Indian hospital have now been met, the Government of India has informed the Government of Sri Lanka of its intent to de-induct the Indian medical team with effect from 31st August 2009. At the same time, since a very useful facility has been set up, and since the physical infrastructure of the hospital remains in place, the Government of India has recommended to the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka that it consider taking over the hospital.
The Government of India reiterates its appreciation of the excellent cooperation extended by the Government of Sri Lanka for the smooth functioning of the Indian medical team.
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