E-DRUG: Tsunami view from the field
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[Message from Dr Bala of HAI Asia, circulating in NGO circles. Thanks to
Beverley for pointing it out. WB]
Dear All,
Our sincere thanks for several messages expressing concerns and
providing us support, solidarity and offers of assistance. Several
friends and well wishes have requested to be informed of what is
happening and how they and their friends can help our office in
providing relief.
One common question many have posed is "We see the CNN and BBC. But
what is actually happening in your country?" Well this is a question
I cannot answer since from 26th up till today I have not gone out of
the office or home. Our office is on the second floor and home on
the first.
Today I participated in the inaugural relief operational meeting
convened by the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA). All
International NGOs and several national NGOs working of Tsunami
relief were present. The meetings will be held weekly on Friday
mornings. The objective of the meeting is "A forum to
comprehensively access information on all relief efforts currently
underway, so that future activities maybe better planned and
coordinated in order to ensure the affected are provided the
necessary immediate care within a framework of long-term assistance
and rehabilitation."
Updated information will be available on the following key links -
web and database:
Centre for National Operations - http://www.cnosrilanka.org/
Lanka National Disaster Management Centre - http://www.lk.undp.org/ndmc
SAHANA - Database - http://220.247.224.24/
CHA Tsunami 2004 Information Centre -
http://www.humanitarian-srilanka.org/Pages/tsunami_htm
The Foundation for Co-existence - Tsunami News Updates -
http://www.fcoex.com/Publications/bulletins/
We have down loaded the latest statistics (slmap.gif) is attached.
These will be updated regularly in the CHA Tsunami 2004 Information
Centre website.
http://www.humanitarian-srilanka.org/Pages/tsunami.htm
Let me brief you on what the country and the NGOs need. There are a
few attachments. Please open them only if you will be interested in
them.
1. What is most needed is money. I am pleased to inform you that
following e-mail and telephone communication Sabine Eckart Medico
International Germany will be visiting us with a small team to meet
with NGO partners early next week to make a short term assessment of
our needs. I am arranging her to meet Dr Vinay Ariyaratne from
Sarvodaya, Ms Nimalka Fernando of Ruhunu Gammi Kantha Association and
Mr Sarath Fernando of MONLAR. This will be followed a second team
which will visit us on 20th January to make assessment of
intermediate and long term needs. We are looking forward to these
visits and follow up activities. In my previous mail I gave you
details of three Bank accounts by these three NGOs. Donations are
welcome.
2. Tsunami orphans.
The estimates on Tuesday 4th January was that a minimum of 300
infants and young children have lost both their parents. It is
feared that the final count may be high.
Specialist NGOs are now developing plans to take care of the orphans.
Initial suggestions include the following.
1. Legal adoption
2. Sponsoring - a member of orphans have been taken by close
relatives, who will need financial support. Donors will be invited
to sponsor these orphans in homes. The present estimate is about Rs
30,000 (US$ 30.00) a month for a minimum of five years.
3. Setting up orphanages
This week we were informed that several organizations and temples in
Canada are interested in supporting orphanages. This is a good
start. Ms Passanna from our office is liaising with the National
NGOs who are working on this. She will give you periodic updates
(<mailto:passanna@haiap.org>passanna@haiap.org) Please contact her.
4. Work carried out by National NGOs
Several national NGOs are working round the clock. Many persons
wanted to know the type of work carried out by NGOs. Let me give you
first one example. Those interested in understanding the type of
activities going on please open attachment (Plan of Action for
Emergency Assistance). This is a 10 page document which gives "Plan
of action for Emergency Assistance and Short Term Relief" by the
Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR).
Those interested in health kindly refer to item 3 on page 2 "Health
and Medical Services - Health Service Trade Union Alliance is already
working through Nine mobile Health Units - Each unit has 15 persons
including medical doctors and will work in 30 refugee camps. They
are linked with the People's Movement for Rights of Patients (PMRP)
to obtain medical personal and guidance. PMRP is an associate member
of HAIAP.
Please refer to activity 2 "Assets mobile health unit of HSTUA" on
pages 6 & 7. This refers to essential medicines needed for all the
30 camps. Attachments (Drugs Requirement - N & E, South) gives the
details of medicines and quantities requires for refugee camps in
Galle, Hambanthota, Jaffna, Kilinochi, Matara & Mullaitivu in the
North, East and South. These are some of the most devastated areas
in the country. Please refer to Attachment (slmap).
4. Items needed by both the Ministry of health and the NGOs are
water purification tablets (or chlorine tablets), Tropical
chlorinated lime.
We have requested donations from a few sources. We are waiting to
get them. However we may need more. I shall appreciate if any of
you can find a source for donation. Let me know.
Kind regards,
Bala
HAI Asia
Sri Lanka
bala@haiap.org
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