By: Staff Writer Colombo (LNW): Low-income families are facing the worst effects of the economic crisis, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said. The ICRC and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) collaborated to provide emergency relief assistance to 11,850 vulnerable low income families impacted by the economic crisis in Sri Lanka. The collaboration also supported the Sri Lankan healthcare system with a donation of essential medical supplies. Under the ICRC-SLRCS partnership, over 6,170 families received cash or cash vouchers (LKR 18,000 each) as emergency relief assistance, enabling them to meet their daily food and other essential needs up to a period of two weeks. The families were selected from 12 districts in Sri Lanka (Ampara, Batticaloa, Galle, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Matara, Monaragala, Puttalam, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee and Vavuniya based on the food security assessment. In addition, over 5,600 pregnant women and new mothers from 10 districts received supplemental nutrition packs through the ICRC-SLRCS partnership “Low-income families are facing the worst effects of the economic crisis. As part of our humanitarian response, the ICRC partnered with the SLRCS to address some of their urgent needs in these challenging times. During the economic crisis, the ICRC adapted its programmes to better serve the affected people in Sri Lanka,” said Séverine Chappaz, Head of the ICRC Delegation in Colombo. Under the ICRC-SLRCS partnership, over 6,170 families received cash or cash vouchers (LKR 18,000 each) as emergency relief assistance, enabling them to meet their daily food and other essential needs up to a period of two weeks. T he families were selected from 12 districts in Sri Lanka (Ampara, Batticaloa, Galle, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Matara, Monaragala, Puttalam, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee and Vavuniya), based on the food security assessment conducted at household level by the SLRCS, in consultation with relevant authorities. In addition, over 5,600 pregnant women and new mothers from 10 districts received supplemental nutrition packs through the ICRC-SLRCS partnership. The ICRC also collaborated with the SLRCS to help address the shortage of medical equipment and supplies as part of its joint humanitarian response to the economic crisis. A total of 10,000 blood bags, 77,300 oxygen masks, 9,000 paraffin compresses, 2,950 thoracic drains and 300,000 face masks were donated to the Ministry of Health. The donations will contribute to the strengthening of the healthcare system in Sri Lanka. The ICRC-SLRCS humanitarian cooperation totaling nearly CHF 640,000 (USD 715,000) provided critical support to families affected by the economic crisis while assisting the Sri Lankan healthcare system.