The Hindu : International : Sri Lankan doctors in Britain offer help

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 29, 2004

International

International

Sri Lankan doctors in Britain offer help

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, DEC. 28. Hundreds of Sri Lankan doctors, working in the United Kingdom, are reported to be considering President Chandrika Kumaratunga's appeal for them to return home to help with medical relief operations following the tsunami disaster.

The Sri Lankan High Commission here has offered to pay for the travel expenses of doctors willing to take time off and join the relief efforts. Many Sri Lankan doctors, who were holidaying in their native country when the tragedy struck, are already said to have decided to stay back until the crisis is over.

Britain's large Sri Lankan community is devastated and a spokesman for the U.K. Association for Medical Aid to Sri Lanka was quoted as saying that it had been ``inundated'' with offers of help. Special prayers were held in a London Buddhist temple on Monday.

Special Tamil broadcast

The BBC Tamil Service, Tamilosai, has made arrangements for extra broadcasts for a week to provide additional disaster-related information. T. Manivannan, head of the Service, said there would be special 15-minute ``dawn transmission'' until January 1 for its listeners in Sri Lanka and Southern India. It could be heard between 6 and 6.15 a.m. (IST) and 6.30 and 6.45 a.m. (Sri Lanka time).

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