PR 27

India-run field hospital provided medical assistance to over 50,000 idPs Medical supplies worth SLR 125 million given to Sri Lanka since January 2009.

After six months of successful operation, providing medical assistance to over 50,000 Internally Displaced Persons (idPs), the India-run field hospital in Manik Farm is returning to India. During the period, the hospital as part of its operation utilized medical supplies and drugs worth SLR 100 million. In addition, Government of India donated medicines and other medical supplies worth SLR 125 million to the Ministry of Health, Government of Sri Lanka. Appreciating India’s support, the Health Minister of Sri Lanka acknowledged that India’s response to the idP situation was very timely and much needed medical assistance was provided in time of urgent need. 

To affirm its continued commitment towards the Government of Sri Lanka, India donated medicines and medical supplies worth SLR 25 million to Hon Mr. Nimal Sripala De Silva, Honorable Health Minister of Sri Lanka at a brief send off ceremony held at the capital today. “India is committed to supporting Sri Lanka in every way possible. We have worked very closely with the Ministry of Health and would like to place on record their wholesome cooperation without which this initiative of deploying a hospital would not have met with the measure of success that it did. India remains open to providing similar assistance in the future if required and is committed to providing continued assistance to the Government of Sri Lanka in all areas required for the speedy resettlement of the idPs.” said H.E. Alok Prasad, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka. 

Recognizing the need for providing medical assistance to the idPs, the Indian Medical team arrived in Colombo on 9 March 09 and set up a 50 bed field hospital in Pulmoddai, within 72 hrs of its arrival in Sri Lanka. The Indian Field Hospital was later upgraded to include 115 beds, housing state-of-the-art medical facilities, including an operation theatre, trauma centre, laboratory, blood bank, ultra sound and X ray machines. 

Apart from providing medical assistance to idPs ferried by the ICRC, onboard the vessel MV Green Ocean, the Indian medical team also rendered medical assistance to hundreds of residents of Pulmoddai. Some of them were referral cases from the local hospital doctors. After the ICRC assisted ship evacuation stopped, the medical team shifted its focus to providing medical assistance to the idPs housed in three camps at Pulmoddai.  Over the period, the team during its stay at Pulmoddai received a total of 21 ships and treated nearly 7,000 idPs. The hospital continued operation for over two months at this location. 

In May 2009, the Hospital was moved to Manik Farm idP Zone One in Cheddikulam to render much needed medical assistance to idPs there. This was a larger hospital, which was designed to meet the needs of the much larger population residing in the idP camps. A novel feature of the hospital were the  five air-conditioned containerized cabins for housing various hospital facilities such as an operation theatre, a laboratory, a Blood Bank, X-Ray machines and Ultrasound facilities. 

The response from the idPs was overwhelming. The hospital treated not only patients from its own zone but from other zones as well.  The disease pattern included respiratory diseases, gastro intestinal disorders, skin infections, malnutrition, hepatitis, malaria and suspected enteric fever. Using an innovative approach, a full-fledged operation theater was set up in a 40 foot container which conducted about 500 major surgeries and over 3,500 minor surgeries. Besides this 4,500 patients were treated at the day care centre established at the hospital and over 500 patients admitted to the hospital. The laboratory was swamped with work and conducted over 22,000 investigations at the facility. More than 40,000 people, including women and children have been provided medical assistance by the Indian medical team during its operations at Manik Farm till 31 August 2009. 

Over time, this Indian hospital earned the reputation of being a very competent medical establishment, complete with all facilities and served as a single window to attend to most medical needs of the idPs, including disbursing medicines prescribed by doctors.

Colombo