IOM has handed over USD 95,000 of urgently needed laboratory
equipment and supplies to two war-affected hospitals in Mallavi and
Killinochchi.

The donation, funded by the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) via UMCOR (United Methodist
Council on Relief), will help the hospitals to provide health care
to thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) returning to the
areas from the Menik Farm IDP camp.

IOM Director of Migration Health Dr. Davide Mosca, who attended
the handover at the newly renovated laboratory of the partially
destroyed Mallavi Base Hospital, emphasized the need for decent
health care for returnees and praised government efforts to rebuild
shattered health infrastructure in northern Sri Lanka since
fighting ended in the area in May 2009.

"IOM has already moved about 190,000 IDPs from Menik Farm to
their home districts in the north and the east and expects to move
more in the coming months. We therefore strongly support government
efforts to strengthen health care provision for the returnees," he
said.   

IOM interventions to support the Ministry of Health and
strengthen the health system in areas of return have also included
the restoration of key primary health facilities in Oddusudan,
Mallavi and Mullankaville.

It also provides 16 ambulances on call 24 hours, daily
transportation for government health workers, and two outreach
mobile clinics in Mannar district.

For more information, please contact:

Stacey Winston

IOM Sri Lanka

Tel. +94 (0) 115325300

E-mail: "mailto:swinston@iom.int">swinston@iom.int