UNICEF assists Vavuniya health sector development

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2004, 11:33 GMT]
UNICEF Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Mr. Ted Chaiban Thursday handed over 1,288,000 rupees worth fourteen motorbikes to the Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services (DPDHS) in the Vavuniya district to increase the mobility of health staff in the Vavuniya north division. These motorbikes would be given to fourteen public health inspectors to provide better health services to the war-affected people in the divisions, sources said.

Mr. Chaiban said at the event held Thursday at the DPDHS office that UNICEF has taken steps to provide assistance to the provincial authorities to improve the health standards of the people in the war affected by strengthening the medical services in the respective division.

Earlier Mr. Chaiban declared open the renovated pediatric ward of the Vavuniya base hospital at a cost of 1,679,598 rupees to strengthen the maternal and childcare service.

He later handed over a solar refrigerator to the office of the Medical Officer of Health in Vavuniya north to preserve life saving drugs, sources said

UNICEF has supplied equipments to maternity and pediatric wards estimated at a cost of 4,914,750 rupees, sources said.

UNICEF has handed over two computers to the MOH offices in Vavuniya and Vavuniya North to improve the health information system facilities.

In order to improve the maternity and child health care services, construction of Gramothaya Health Centres has been taking place at Samanakulam, Andiapuliankulam, Nelukkulam, Madukanthai, Kovitkunchikulam and Paddikudiruppu in the Vavuniya district at an estimated cost of 8.71 million rupees provided by the UNICEF, sources said