On arrival at Vavuniya Hospital, it was found that there were 2000 patients. According to the doctor they are equipped to handle 400 patients. The number of doctors has increased to eighty at present. The hospital was expecting 1000 additional patients the same night. To create space for the new arrivals, they needed to discharge around 850 patients. When patients are discharged, they are reluctant to leave the hospital premises. In this confusion the doctors are not sure who the discharged patients are.

The hospital is so overcrowded, that wherever possible; the wards are being expanded. There is a new section that is being built at present but will take some time to complete. There are people in every bit of space they can find along the sides of the corridors leading to the wards, even on the retention walls of the drains.

The wards that were visited seemed orderly despite the mayhem. An additional pediatric ward has been created, for malnourished kids. Malnourishment is rife amongst adults and children alike. Most of the patients are suffering from pneumonia according to the doctor.

The two contagious diseases that are being dealt with are Chickenpox and Hepatitis A. These patients are together in a separate section due to lack of space. The patients with Chickenpox are contracting Hepatitis A, and vice-versa.

Their stores seemed to have only about, quarter of the space occupied by medicines on arrival. However, after the ACT delivery the rest of the space was utilised. This included the mattresses, linen, pillows, milk food, cereals etc.

The doctor was very happy with the ‘ACT members’, personal contribution of chocolates and coffee, to be shared by all the doctors. Unfortunately they don’t seem to have a common room at their disposal, for their breaks (if they do have time for it!). The present ‘common room’, seems to be a demarcated lobby area, where there is a couch for them to get some rest! Therefore, it was a great ‘thank you’, for the remarkable job being done, under stressful conditions.