Dr. Satyamurthi says four lorry-loads of medicine has just arrived

Zonal Health Officer in Kilinochchi hospital, Dr. Satyamurthi, told BBC Sandeshaya that the hospital has enough stocks for three months.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the ICRC said that hospitals in the rebel-held north are running short of basic medicines.

Dr. Satyamurthi did not deny the report.

The hospital has to get clearance from the Ministry of Defence for the medicine supplies and applications should be made well in advance, he said.

LTTE patients

“We only received the stocks this week for the application made in January,” he told BBCSinhala.com adding that deliveries arrive only once in three months.

We only received the stocks this week for the application made in January Dr. Satyamurthi

Dr. Satyamurthi said there are eight more government hospitals in LLTE-held Kilinochchi apart from the general hospital.

Many doctors, he said, are reluctant to work in the area due to lack of essential supplies.

The remaining doctors are facing an uphill struggle to treat the 500,000 residents in the rebel- held area.

The Tamil Tigers have other clandestine hospitals in the jungles, but the doctors in the government hospitals treat them as any other patient if brought after a battle.