Cologne: "The situation in the war zone in the Vanni region in the North of Sri Lanka is ex-tremely worrying. Thousands of people are trying to flee from the front, most cannot salvage more than the clothes they are wearing", says Dr. J=FCrgen Clemens, Sri Lanka expert at Malteser Interna-tional. "The situation in the so called 'transit camps' is increasingly deteriorating as new Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) arrive daily. The people are living under terrible conditions, they do not have enough water and too little food." Therefore in addition to the outbreak of diseases there is also a threat of famine in the camps. In northern Sri Lanka Malteser International is therefore help-ing people who, because of the civil war, have lost all their belongings and been forced to leave be-cause of the fighting.
"The hygiene conditions are incredibly bad," says Clemens. "Above all, pregnant women, mothers and children are suffering in this situation." Together with its Sri Lankan partner organisation Sar-vodaya, and probably with financial support from the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, Malteser International will distribute hygiene kits to those affected (including among others soap, washing bowls, baby powder and diapers). Local health workers will educate people in the camps about es-sential hygiene practices and about how best to avoid contracting infectious diseases. Malteser In-ternational will also provide the families with clothes and mosquito nets.
Attention editors: Dr. J=FCrgen Clemens, Sri Lanka-expert at Malteser International, is available for interviews. Call: 0221/9822-125
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