Civilian woes mount as Kilinochchi health services stumble

Health services in Kilinochchi are relocating along with fleeing civilians as increased medical help is now sought in other areas, according to a report today on Colombo Tamil daily Virakesari’s website.
The situation is adding to the misery of all internally displaced persons (IDPs), as Kilinochchi health services were already under severe strain due to shortages of medicines.
The Virakesari report says:
Health and medical conditions
As civilians continue to abandon the town of Kilinochchi and keep moving to the interior in droves, the number of patients at the Kilinochchi hospital is also dwindling. Health officials say a neighbourhood clinic in Dharmapuram, a Kilinochchi suburb is where the patients are seeking medical assistance now. The clinic is overwhelmed due to the increased number of patients.
Many patients are seeking treatment for diarrhea and also for snake and insect bites.
More than 50 percent of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) are without proper shelter facilities. Over 90 percent lack lavatory and sanitary facilities. The rain, only a few days for now but conditions for IDPs are expected to worsen when the seasonal downpours start in full force in the coming days.
Health officials fear of increased activity of communicable diseases amidst lack of medical facilities.
Medicines are a scarcity in Vanni; once again, medical supplies that were meant for the Kilinochchi district was turned away at Omanthai check point by Sri Lanka military on Oct 6th, according Health officials.
A section of the medical equipment was taken to a building at the Visuvamadu Maha Vithiyalayam, the main school in one of the large agricultural hamlets near Kilinochchi. However, attempts to function a medical facility there has not succeeded as of yet, according to sources at the Kilinochchi hospital.
Air attacks
A brief two day lull in raids by Sri Lanka air force was broken when Paranthan came under air attack in the early hours of Friday Oct 10th morning around 6:25 AM. A Paranthan Hindu Maha Vithiyalayam grade 5 student and her mother who is among the teaching staff at the school died, after sustaining injuries. 7 others were injured in the air attack that took place near Paranthan, Kumarapuram Murugan Temple.
Banks and other government offices
The entire government offices and banks have moved out of Kilinochchi. The government secretariat has moved to Kandavalai and the banks have relocated to Dhrmapuram.
Food convoys
A second set of food convoy was expected, but none arrived under World Food Programme (WFP) protection this week. Officials and displaced persons are hoping a food convoy would arrive at least by next week.