A number of children have also been admitted to Mallavi hospital. According to the Health Department, 12,660 people were treated at Mallavi hospital in August, including 248 for diarrhoea and 808 for malaria. But the hospitals in the Vanni have been seriously affected by government restrictions on medicines and medical equipment. Medicines for the third quarter of the year 2001 have not been received from Colombo. According to reports, there is a shortage of medicines for blood pressure, asthma, rabies and diabetes.
Kilinochchi Health services Director Sivamohan says that the Defence Ministry has cut 12 medicines recommended by the Health Ministry for supply to the Vanni by 75%. Vitamin B has been reduced from 1.5 million tablets to 250,000 and Vitamin C from 750,000 tablets to 30,000.
The Air Force continued to bomb coastal areas of Mullaitivu District. Government Agent N Suntharan says that in bombing raids on Pokkanai and Palampasi in late September, the Airforce killed three civilians, including 49 year-old R Sritharan. Several houses and fishing boats were damaged.
In Vavuniya District, reports of disappearances continue. The Human Rights Commission has received complaints that five youths, including 14 year-old Chandrakumar Thanaletchumy from the Poonthottam refugee camp in Vavuniya, have gone missing.
Further west in Mannar District, a 19 year-old youth was shot dead by the Army on 11 September in Murunkan. The LTTE attacked a police post on Mannar-Vavuniya road on 29 September injuring a policeman and a civilian.