Aid but no relief: Victims empty-handed while donations pour in
Local and foreign relief aid is piling up for flood victims but lack of coordination between government agencies and independent relief teams is affecting distribution, a survey in the affected areas revealed.
Hundreds of volunteers working with different organisations and even individuals offering help in Colombo, its suburbs and other districts were found extending help with little clue about the locations that needed it most.
Residents in Wellampitiya, Sedawatte and Kolonnawa complained that neither the grama niladharis nor any other government officials had visited them nearly three weeks after the floods.
A.R. Rafeeka, 52, from Wellampitiya, said the only assistance local residents had received had come from voluntary organisations; there had been nothing from the government either during the floods or now. “We didn’t go anywhere as we are waiting for any government official to come and help us,” she said.
They received cooked food from the churches so immediate food needs are met. They do not, however, have clothes, she said, illustrating the problems that arise from a lack of central coordination of relief operations.
“We have had no power, no milk for the children,” P. Jayakody, 38, a resident of Ranasura Mawatte, Wellampitiya, said, accusing the government was giving a false picture of the relief effort.
“Where was the government when we were stranded?” he asked. “Civilians did all the work. No civic authorities or police have come to help up till now. No-one informed us about the likelihood of flooding either.”
Jean Costa, 55, from Sedawatte said only “God knows” when the government would arrive with help. “This is the time we want stuff,” she said. She and her five-member family have found shelter on the second floor of a neighbour’s house.
“My son has two daughters: one is sitting for her A Levels and the other for her O Levels and they have lost all their notebooks and [uniforms] and now they are wearing coloured dress to school,” she lamented.
“We have no place to stay, I ask the government to give us tents or at least tarpaulins for our shelter,” said father of three, Mustaq Faleel.
Neither the grama niladhari nor assistant government agent have visited the area, he said. “We need government aid; we need a place to live. I humbly request them to look into our matter,” he implored. The government has still not given them any assistance or compensation to repair their house.
“My uniforms were washed away in the floodwaters,” said 13-year-old Nilimini Anusha, a grade nine student in Sedawatte Siddartha Madhaya Vidhayalaya. “The dress I’m wearing now was given by the mosque.
“Everything my parents owned is lost but no government official has come to help us,” she said.
Julian Samuel, a pastor in People’s Church Assembly of God Narahenpita, said there was some level of coordination between volunteers and local authorities with aid distribution but no central coordination.
“We are distributing relief items to Mattakkuliya, Wattala, Kolonnawa, Kandana and Kelaniya. We have distributed dry rations, clothes, cleaning and sanitary items for almost 2,000 people. The church also provided food,” he said.
“Some places received far more than they needed and other places – really small villages off the radar where there was no contact – didn’t get anything at all,” Pastor Samuel said. “As a church we did what is possible for us.”
Kolonnawa Divisional Secretary A.U.K. Dodanwala said the government was providing a package worth Rs. 1,500 of essential items including 250g sugar, milk powder, sprats etc. Rs. 10,000 will be given to every household for house damage, he said, adding that there were about 31, 000 houses in the Kolonnawa area.
“Currently we are doing a survey of the houses damaged and after the survey we will estimate the damage and Rs. 25, 000 will be given as a maximum amount to each household,” Ms. Dodanwala said.
India, Australia, Japan, China and the United States provided assistance for victims of floods and landslides following an urgent government appeal for foreign aid, an official in the Ministry of External Affairs stated
The government of Japan handed over emergency relief goods worth about Rs. 32 million for the people affected by the floods and landslides.
These include 800 blankets, 210 sleeping pads, 30 mobile water purifiers, water tanks, mobile generator units and 5000 water purification tablets, 10 generators, 2,000 polyester tanks and 100 tarpaulins.
China sent 1,000 tents and 3,000 folding beds worth about $US2.3 million and the Australian government is also contributing $500,000 to UNICEF for humanitarian assistance to the victims. This includes the provision of clean water and sanitation for children in shelters,
The US government provided Rs 7.2 million in immediate disaster assistance for items such as blankets, mattresses, and clothing and hygiene kits.
Medical supplies, inflatable boats, tarpaulins, tents, emergency lights consumable stores mobile toilets, milk powder, safety matches and candles were also provided by the Indian government.
Two Indian vessels carried 25 tonnes of relief material and aircraft landed at Katunayake with 15 tonnes of supplies.
Many people in the flood-affected areas say they have seen the relief received by state agencies on television news bulletins but have not received any of it.
Disaster Management Center (DMC) Deputy Director P. Kodippili said he could not hide the fact that aid is reaching some areas slower than in others but said the delays were due to bad weather during the disaster.
He said tents, generators and tarpaulins were being distributed via Divisional Secretariats.
Mr. Kodippili said that all funds received from abroad would be used to build houses and replace destroyed furniture as well as for disaster-related educational needs and other emergency relief purposes.
People living in threatened areas in Aranayaka, Athgampala, Hakurugammana and in the Kegalle district will receive homes constructed at a cost of Rs. 2 million each on 40-perch blocks, Housing and Construction Minister Sajith Premadasa said.
“Land required for construction will be acquired from plantation companies after discussing the issue with them, and will be acquired from safer areas,” he said.
He gave assurances the proposed houses will be constructed in safer areas after obtaining National Building Research Organisation certification for the construction of these houses.
The minister also said victims whose houses were partially damaged will be paid Rs. 750,000 each to help them relocate or build new houses.
“Bring in guidelines for the treatment of Melioidosis,” urges Consultant Clinical Microbiologist Dr. Muditha Abeykoon who is attached to the Polonnaruwa District General Hospital, reiterating that it should also be declared a disease which should be notified to the Epidemiology Unit.
Having tested specimens from patients who are suspected to be having Leptospirosis (Rat Fever) or died of this disease, he has found that some actually have Melioidosis or succumbed to it.
What is the probability of acquiring Leptospirosis and Melioidosis, he asks. Someone needs to have cuts or small wounds for the Leptospirosis germ to enter the body, while there are more ways than one for the Melioidosis bug to get into a person’s system. The contamination of soil with Melioidosis is also higher, according to this Clinical Microbiologist.
This is why it should be covered by guidelines, says Dr. Abeykoon, echoing Dr. Corea’s concerns.
“While these days patients are presenting with acute symptoms of Melioidosis and clinicians should consider both this disease and Leptospirosis when making a diagnosis and treat them accordingly. Another possibility is patients coming to hospital with a chronic presentation of symptoms such as high fever. These patients would get treated, go home but keep returning. Then too, the red flag of Melioidosis should light up,” he says.
He sees as “a big problem” the fact that Leptospirosis is being diagnosed only clinically as confirmatory tests can only be performed mainly at the Medical Research Institute in Colombo. But Melioidosis is easily detected by a Microbiologist and they are in many a hospital.
With Melioidosis and co-mor- bidities such as diabetes forming a dangerous link, Dr. Abeykoon warns that “we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg”. Remember we are a country facing an epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and we have also just come out of a major conflict.
Recalling how Melioidosis was named the ‘ Vietnam time-bomb’, afflicting a number of American soldiers long after they had returned home from Vietnam, he says that Sri Lanka should expect a rise in this disease among its military personnel when they reach the age of 50-60 years. For, this is also the time when they would be more susceptible to diabetes and other immuno-compromised diseases.
“We need to take heed – otherwise we may have a ticking ‘Sri Lanka time-bomb’ in Melioidosis. This is why surveillance and timely diagnosis are of utmost importance,” adds Dr. Abeykoon.