The Kilinochchi hospital treated 15,970 patients in May for malaria, diarrhoea and other diseases but ten people died because of lack of medicines. A seriously ill 18 month-old child, died on the way, while being taken from Mallavi hospital to Vavuniya hospital on 14 June. S Sasikala, 3, died of septicaemia in Puthukudyiruppu hospital on 23 June. M Sinthuja, 9, died of pneumonia on 25 June in Mallavi hospital. Mullaitivu District medical officer Dr Sivamohan says that the children could have been saved if medicines were available.
The Vanni is facing additional pressure by the arrival of people fleeing the fighting in Jaffna. Kilinochchi’s Government Agent says over 3,200 people have arrived. Some 50 people wounded in the bombing and shelling in Jaffna are being treated in Vanni hospitals and 25 in Vavuniya hospital. Reports say Iyampillai Vamadevan, 65, who was injured at Kaithady in Jaffna, died in Kilinochchi hospital in early June.
In Vavuniya, three members of Tamil group PLOTE were wounded in a grenade attack on 4 June. The Human Rights Commission (HRC) says that seven people have gone missing in June. The Army searched Poonthottam refugee camp on 10 June and took four people into custody. Another ten refugees were arrested in the same camp on 16 June. Student S Sayanthan, 14 went missing 20 June in Chekadypilavu. HRC says he was shot by the Army and taken to the military hospital in Anuradhapura.