The District administration is preparing to open three permanent care centres in Dakshina Kannada for endosulfan victims. These permanent care centres will be in addition to two day care centres operational in Koila in Puttur taluk and Kokkada in Belthangady taluk.
Opening of permanent care centres is one among the several actions proposed for the endosulfan victims by the district enforcement and implementation committees. However, activists fighting for the endosulfan victims allege the initiatives taken by the two committees were not being conveyed.
District Health Officer H.S. Shivakumar, the member secretary of the implementation committee, told The Hindu it was proposed to have permanent care centres in the premises of Primary Health Centres in Panaje, Ujire and Bellare. Setting up of the permanent care centres was borne out following meeting with officials and non government organisation representatives chaired by Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, N. Sivasailam held in May first week.
Dr. Shivakumar said some non government organisation representatives have pointed to problems faced in bringing endosulfan victims to the day care centres that was not serving the need of victims. Moreover expenses for the day care centre were at a higher end.
Permanent care centres will not only benefit victims, who need constant care but also be cost effective. Assistance of doctors and personnel at the PHCs will be available for the personnel at the care centres.
The government was considering handing administration of permanent care centres to the Social Welfare Department, he said.
Dr. Shivakumar said smart cards were being issued to 792 persons identified as victims of endosulfan during the drive held in March and April. Smart card, which entitles victims of benefits announced by the government, has been issued to 2,200 persons identified in the first phase of the work.
These new set of smart cards will be delivered at the houses of the victims by Auxiliary Nurse Midwives. “We have covered 99.9 per cent of victims. We invite people to point out victims, if any, who have missed out,” he said.
On mobile medical units, Dr. Shivakumar said two ambulances related to Tribal Health and two mobile medical units run by a non government organisation have been attending to endosulfan victims.
Few more mobile medical units have been proposed.
