The Health Ministry will send a team of experts from AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital to Nepal to assess the situation arising due to morbidity and mortality in the wake of the devastating quake in the neighbouring country.
The ministry has already rushed a 34-member team of doctors and technicians along with 15 tonnes of medical supplies to Nepal after it was rocked by a terrible quake on Saturday that has left thousands dead.
“On the directives of Health Minister JP Nadda, a team comprising experts from AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and public health specialists in the ministry is being sent to Nepal to assess the health aspects arising out of large-scale morbidity and mortality,” said a release here.
The team will interact with health authorities in Nepal and conduct a rapid health and need-based assessment for ascertaining the requirements in terms of human resource and logistical deployment, officials said.
The ministry said that a team of senior officers was also deputed yesterday to interact with the governments of the states affected by the earthquake in India and conduct a rapid health assessment.
Nepal today sought international help to deal with severe shortages of food, water, electricity and medicines even as the toll from the quake soared to over 3,700.
The health ministry has put health services on the “highest” alert following the earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale. It has already sent a team consisting of 10 orthopaedic surgeons, four anaesthetists, 12 male nurses and eight OT technicians.
In addition, three technicians for installing and operating water treatment plants, too, have been sent to the Himalayan nation.
The death toll in India from the massive earthquake has mounted to 66 with worst-hit Bihar accounting for 51 deaths followed by 12 casualties in Uttar Pradesh, two in West Bengal with two and one in Rajasthan.
The health ministry has taken complete stock of the situation and extended support to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh with officials saying that Nadda is personally monitoring the situation on an hourly basis.
