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Poor sanitation and the lack of clean water can cause water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria and dengue in children. |
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World Vision has delivered five million litres of water, distributed 100,000 packs of cooked food and supplied 60 metric tonnes of food to displacement camps. |
Some 280,000 people living in displacement camps in Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna districts in northern Sri Lanka and Trincomalee in the East are at risk of diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria and dengue.
The sanitation facilities in the largest camps where most of the displaced are living are woefully inadequate and at least 11,500 more latrines are needed in the camps to comply with international minimum standards.
With the monsoon expected to arrive within the next two weeks, at least 2,500 latrines are needed immediately to meet even the most basic needs and to prevent a potential health crisis.
“We are very worried about the outbreak of diseases. When the rains come in two weeks or so I can’t imagine what conditions will be like due to the lack of any proper drainage and toilet system,” said Suresh Bartlett, World Vision Sri Lanka’s National Director.
Unsafe drinking water and inadequate sanitation facilities give rise to water-borne diseases and other bowel infections, with most fatalities being young children.
“Camps further north in Jaffna have already experienced rains and there we have seen people trying to keep their things dry in overturned buckets and hanging their babies in saris to keep them off the ground and out of flood waters,” said Bartlett.
Although World Vision has access to work in the camps, it is now severely short of the funds needed to respond.
“I urge the international community to give freely. There are so many crises in the world at this time - a financial crisis, a crisis in Pakistan - but the needs of those who have survived the conflict are extreme. After surviving such a violent conflict, it will be extremely unfortunate for the children and babies to now succumb to disease.”
Bartlett said there were a number of needs in the camps, including access to clean water, food and shelter but added that the sanitation needs were among the greatest.
The 26-year-long conflict between the Sri Lanka government and the separatist LTTE ended on 17 May 2009, with the capture of the last strip of coastland occupied by the LTTE in north east Sri Lanka.
Till date, World Vision has supported the displaced persons by:
- Distributing five million litres of clean water
- Distributing 100,000 packs of cooked food
- Supplying 60 metric tonnes of complementary food to the communal kitchens
- Supplying supplementary nutritional food to children under five and nursing mothers
Click here to watch a CNN interview with World Vision Sri Lanka’s National Director, Suresh Bartlett.
URGENT NEED
World Vision requires at least US$3 million to support its emergency response and rehabilitation plans in Sri Lanka. In the long term, World Vision plans to rebuild homes and livelihoods, and provide food security and child protection in the communities of Mannar, Vavuniya and Killinochi.
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