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On Sunday the clinic split into two. I went to Ampara with Mark and Hannah to see what the needs were in the eastern districts. Communications were difficult, and an important bridge had been destroyed preventing aid reaching parts of the south-east. However, the bridge was back up and we found various Red Cross and other agencies were there already, and most of the people had been see by a doctor within the last few days. We set up one clinic in a refugee camp north of Pottuvil, and for a few hours saw patients with varying illnesses. The most common complaints are chest infections, coughs and fevers, injured and inflamed joints, especially knees and shoulders damaged by the tsunami, as well as various fungal skin infections and other reactions. In the last couple of days a a few cases of diarrhea and vomiting have emerged.

Mark and Hannah left for Columbo to run a drop of supplies to Ampara, and I headed south to Hambantota, then Tengalla. The destruction on the south coast was massive, and over 6000 families have been displaced in Hambantota alone. Set up a clinic near the beach front in Tengalle, which was again very busy and so went back there again yesterday with Didier, who had been running dressing clinics in Marissa with Sydney. Pippa and Sydney have both left now.

This morning, we had a few tetanus jabs for some of the workers in Marissa, before a clinic at Marissa temple. Many people came along and three hours was not enough to see them all, so heading back this evening.

Hoping to do a clinic in Hambantota tomorrow. Didier and I are expecting to head north to Hickaduwa where a dispensary is being forced to close unless they have another doctor to replace one that is leaving on Saturday. Should be interesting.

Having felt that the demand for the clinic was waning at points, I think it has become clear that there are in fact many pockets of communities that do really need it. When we arrived with the clinic in Tengalla we were the first aid of any kind, they told us, to have reached them.

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