DB Slow, v$session_wait shoeing SQL*Net message from client

Hi Gurus-
 of my DB(8174, Tru64 Unix) has terribly slowed down! Checked Indexes, Stats, etc but all look fine to me. Only one strange thing:
I have more than 100 sessions in the v$session wait with same EVENT,P1TEXT, P1,STATE
(SQL*Net message from client ,driver id,1413697536,WAITING). Refs to the
v$session_wait view indicate that P1 is a hex representation and 1413697536==TCP.
QNS:
1) Is it normal to have all these waits? 2) Does this mean clients are waiting to 'hear' from oracle hence the apparent slowdown

Can anyone out explain to me the meaning of this and possible remedy.

Thanking you all-

CSW Simon.
DBA -MTN Uganda.

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