April 29, 2009 Report

April 29, 2009 Dear Friends,

The challenges faced by hundreds of thousands of civilians in war‐torn Northeast Sri Lanka continue to expand, reaching alarming new levels within the past week and putting an enormous strain on hospitals in the region. A recent flare‐up in violence in the affected areas has lead to a significantly higher number of casualties and injuries, according to local health officials who have reported scenes of general panic and fear especially within the last 10 days. There has been heavy fighting in and around many areas where there are hospitals, adding further stress to those doctors and healthcare providers trying desperately to serve those with urgent health and medical needs. Hospitals are operating far beyond their capacities: • Mannar Hospital has a capacity of 200 patients, but it is currently serving over 1,200 • Vavuniya Hospital has a capacity of 600 patients, but it is currently serving over 1,500 • Mullivaikkal Hospital has been overwhelmed with over 700 patients • Valaiyarmadam Hospital has received hundreds of new patients in recent days, as Puthumathalan Hospital was closed due to shelling

Due to the escalation in violence, shipments of food and medicines have not been able to reach those remaining in the conflict zones. Not even the World Food Programme has been able to get through in many days, and there is no word on when it will be able to do so next. Food shortage is a major problem affecting the IDP camps as well. Over 165,000 need immediate food supplies to sustain them during this humanitarian crisis. Sadly, many elders have died in the last few days of starvation and malnutrition‐ related diseases, further compacting this food scarcity problem first reported in January. Local officials tell us that bottled water, biscuits, and glucose are in short supply in the IDP camps. Some volunteers who have made it to the IDP camps have reported that many patients are physically unable to do anything on their own, as they are incredibly weak and clinging to life. Several NGOs, like IMHO, have been doing everything possible to get life‐saving nutrition to those most in need.

The shortage of medicines is also having disastrous consequences. Dozens have died unnecessarily due to the non‐availability of blood transfusion services, poor treatment facilities, and a shortage of antibiotics and other medicines. A lack of hospital beds, particularly for post‐op patients, has been a repeated request, a request that IMHO is now answering. Requests for mattresses for thousands of patients sleeping outside on the ground of various hospitals have also been made. IMHO is hoping to help address this need as well. There is also a need for wheelchairs, crutches, and emergency medical supplies. We are working with Giving Children Hope, a local relief INGO based in Buena Park, California to get a shipment of 50 hospital beds shipped out to Sri Lanka to benefit Mannar Hospital. With your immediate support, we can get this shipment out early next week and purchase mattresses locally in Colombo, to be sent all‐at‐once to benefit patients at Mannar. Please visit GCH’s website at www.gchope.org to contribute directly to this shipment, or make a donation to IMHO either through our website (www.TheIMHO.org) or by sending a check to: IMHO Treasurer, PO Box 61265, Staten Island, New York 10306. Thank you!!

Sincerely, The IMHO Team Federal Tax ID Number: 59-3779465 2381 Hylan Blvd, Suite 13B, Staten Island, NY 10306, USA. www.TheIMHO.org Tel: 718-667 3535; Fax: 718-667 3536 Email: contact@theimho.org