Sri Lankan Doctors say they handled 300 child deliveries during the last
period of the conflict with LTTE
Sri Lankan medical professionals say they handled around 300
child delivery per month at the Cheddikulum Hospital during the last period of
war with the Tigers in 2009.
Dr.Hemantha Perera President of the Sri Lanka College of
Obstetricians & Gynecologists said that at the cessation of hostilities
internally displaced Sri Lankans were coming into temporary camps in large
numbers. The Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SLCOG),
being the apex body of professionals providing maternity care in Sri Lanka
anticipated that there would be a major need for maternity care for these
people. The SLCOG took the initiative of rallying all stakeholders towards
delivery of effective care.
He said that the health ministry had strengthened the Vavuniya
General hospital until the facilities in the Cheddikulum Hospital was
established to cater to the incoming Obstetric patients.
"We had had previous experience in providing emergency care in
disaster situations following the tsunami." Dr Perera said that all these
services were delivered to the people free of charge
A press release issued my the association says
We estimated that there would be about 3000 pregnant mothers
among these people. The Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Dr.Ajith
Mendis had already appointed a Coordinator and set up a special unit in order to
address health-related issues in these displaced Sri Lankans. On the request of
the SLCOG, the Secretary of Health and DGHS appointed a Task Force specifically
for maternity care.
As expected in a situation such as this, there were many health
issues that were recognized. Among these, maternity care required urgent
attention.
The Task Force identified the following urgent needs.
1. To register all pregnant mothers.
2. Setting up of antenatal clinics in all zones (Six zones) -
Our members visited all these clinics daily to examine the mothers who were
recognized as being in the high-risk category. The care given was of high
standard and included ultrasound scanning.
3. Setting up of an antenatal ward, a labor room and operating
theatre for cesarean section at Cheddikulum District Hospital. This was
originally a small hospital, which did not have these facilities.
4. Making available specialist and middle grade doctors trained
in obstetrics and gynaecology for round the clock service
5. Regular meetings were held with the DGHS, Coordinator of
Cheddikulum & relevant officials of Family Health Bureau, Ministry of
Health, other professional organizations and the field staff for provision of
smooth functioning of the above facilities.
6. Qualified Midwives were identified from among the displaced
people and their services were obtained.
7. All the needs of pregnant mothers including nutrition,
vitamin supplementation, transport to and from the hospitals, care of delivered
mothers and babies was arranged. An ultrasound scan was used to date the
pregnancies.
These activities were initiated and sustained for a period of
six months till the health care facilities of the war affected hospitals started
functioning. The quality of the service could be gauged by the absence of
maternal deaths during this period. We have not previously given publicity for
these facts because we considered these services as a part of professional
duties of Sri Lankans to fellow Sri Lankans. However, we thought it pertinent to
publicize these facts at this juncture.
Courtesy: Department of Government Information

Sri Lankan Doctors say they handled 300 child deliveries during the last
period of the conflict with LTTE
Sri Lankan medical professionals say they handled around 300
child delivery per month at the Cheddikulum Hospital during the last period of
war with the Tigers in 2009.
Dr.Hemantha Perera President of the Sri Lanka College of
Obstetricians & Gynecologists said that at the cessation of hostilities
internally displaced Sri Lankans were coming into temporary camps in large
numbers. The Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SLCOG),
being the apex body of professionals providing maternity care in Sri Lanka
anticipated that there would be a major need for maternity care for these
people. The SLCOG took the initiative of rallying all stakeholders towards
delivery of effective care.
He said that the health ministry had strengthened the Vavuniya
General hospital until the facilities in the Cheddikulum Hospital was
established to cater to the incoming Obstetric patients.
"We had had previous experience in providing emergency care in
disaster situations following the tsunami." Dr Perera said that all these
services were delivered to the people free of charge
A press release issued my the association says
We estimated that there would be about 3000 pregnant mothers
among these people. The Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Dr.Ajith
Mendis had already appointed a Coordinator and set up a special unit in order to
address health-related issues in these displaced Sri Lankans. On the request of
the SLCOG, the Secretary of Health and DGHS appointed a Task Force specifically
for maternity care.
As expected in a situation such as this, there were many health
issues that were recognized. Among these, maternity care required urgent
attention.
The Task Force identified the following urgent needs.
1. To register all pregnant mothers.
2. Setting up of antenatal clinics in all zones (Six zones) -
Our members visited all these clinics daily to examine the mothers who were
recognized as being in the high-risk category. The care given was of high
standard and included ultrasound scanning.
3. Setting up of an antenatal ward, a labor room and operating
theatre for cesarean section at Cheddikulum District Hospital. This was
originally a small hospital, which did not have these facilities.
4. Making available specialist and middle grade doctors trained
in obstetrics and gynaecology for round the clock service
5. Regular meetings were held with the DGHS, Coordinator of
Cheddikulum & relevant officials of Family Health Bureau, Ministry of
Health, other professional organizations and the field staff for provision of
smooth functioning of the above facilities.
6. Qualified Midwives were identified from among the displaced
people and their services were obtained.
7. All the needs of pregnant mothers including nutrition,
vitamin supplementation, transport to and from the hospitals, care of delivered
mothers and babies was arranged. An ultrasound scan was used to date the
pregnancies.
These activities were initiated and sustained for a period of
six months till the health care facilities of the war affected hospitals started
functioning. The quality of the service could be gauged by the absence of
maternal deaths during this period. We have not previously given publicity for
these facts because we considered these services as a part of professional
duties of Sri Lankans to fellow Sri Lankans. However, we thought it pertinent to
publicize these facts at this juncture.
Courtesy: Department of Government Information