Colombo / Geneva (ICRC) - Puthukkudiyiruppu Hospital in the northern Vanni region was shelled this
afternoon, killing at least two people and injuring at least five others. The compound sustained two direct hits.
"We're shocked that the hospital was hit, and this for the second time
in recent weeks," said Paul Castella, head of the Colombo delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
"Wounded and sick people, medical personnel and medical
facilities are all protected by international humanitarian law.
Under no circumstance may they be directly attacked." The hospital currently has over 500 in-patients, some of them still
waiting to be transferred to the government-controlled area for more adequate treatment.
Despite today's attack, people injured by the fighting continue to arrive at the facility.
The ICRC has been supporting the hospital's staff by setting up a makeshift structure for triage, receiving ambulances, and helping to clean the facility.
It has also provided mattresses
for patients who find themselves in the corridors because there is no longer any room in the wards.
"The staff are under acute stress, surrounded as they are by the sound of the ongoing
fighting and the influx of new patients," said Morven Murchison-Lochrie, an ICRC medical coordinator, who is present in the hospital.
"Ambulances are constantly arriving, but people are
also being brought in by wagon, pick-up truck, tractor and even motor scooter." Despite this, she said, the staff remained inventive and committed to caring for the injured and sick who had made the
dangerous trip to the hospital.
Appealing to those involved in the fighting, Mr Castella said: ''The ICRC calls on both parties to respect their obligation to spare medical facilities and
activities, as required by international humanitarian law in all circumstances." ICRC staff are present in the hospital and, together with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, continue to support the
Ministry of Health staff caring for the injured and sick there.
For further information, please contact:
Sarasi Wijeratne, ICRC Colombo, tel: +94 11 250 33 46 or +94
773 1588 44
Sophie Romanens, ICRC Colombo, tel: +94 11 250 33 46 or +94 777 289 682
Carla Haddad Mardini, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 24 05 or +41 79 217 32 26
or visit our
website: www.icrc.org See also ICRC media contacts
Canadian Tamils demonstrate on a downtown street in Toronto, January 30, 2009. Pressure rose on Friday for Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tiger rebels to free thousands of people trapped in ...
