TodaysNetworkNews: SRI LANKA: TSUNAMI 5 YEARS & CHILDRENS HEALTH CARE (UNICEF)

TodaysNetworkNews: 23 December 2009 - UNICEF: Sri Lanka - UNICEF is supporting new and improved mother and child health care in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, a community that still suffers from internal political conflict and the aftermath of the tsunami.

At a government health centre, mothers and their babies are eager not to miss out on this keenly awaited occurrence.

Every two weeks at this well baby clinic, food supplements & vaccinations are distributed to children who need them.

SOUNDBITE (English) Kirupairajah Gowriswaran, Health & Nutrition Officer, UNICEF:
One of the nutritious food. And selected children will get. Children under weight. The public health midwife is providing, based on their height and weight.

In the next room, children suffering severely acute malnutrition, receive a therapeutic food.

Mothers come here for medical check-ups both before delivery and afterwards. Eighteen-year-old mother, Komathy, and her four-month-old baby Stepan, rely upon the services here.

SOUNDBITE (Tamil) Kamalanathan Komathy, mother:
"Before the baby was born I used to come here for ante-natal checkups and food supplements. They also provide vaccinations here."

Located on the windswept east coast of Sri Lanka, this centre serves a community that is largely dependent on the sea, and which has been re-settled after the tsunami of five years ago.

Recovery has not been easy, set against Sri Lanka's recent domestic conflict, but everywhere there are signs of new developments that offer hope for the future.

At this main hospital in Valaichenai, a new peadiatric extension, funded by UNICEF, has dramatically improved the treatment of childhood illnesses.

And when the conversion of a whole floor into a maternity delivery ward is complete, the wellbeing of mothers and their babies here will be greatly improved.

SOUNDBITE (Tamil) Dr. Arumainathan Nimal:
"At the moment, many maternity cases are referred to the bigger teaching hospital but soon we will be able to handle them here, with our own resident consultant obstetrician."

Real advances in mother and baby care offering the children born now much greater opportunities than babies born before the tsunami. ................................................................................­................................................................................­................................................................................­...................................... ( UNITED NATIONS CHILDRENS FUND: UNICEF TELEVISION ) ................................................................................­................................................................................­................................................................................­................................................................................­................TodaysNetworkNews:
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