There is a dire shortage of medicines at the Ernakulam District General Hospital that is functioning as a control room (medical helpline - 9946992995).
Doctors at the control room told The Hindu that the medicines collected were supposed to be delivered in the district alone. But distress calls for medicines from other districts forced them to send over 500 boxes on Saturday and about 300 boxes on Sunday to Thrissur, Chengannur and Alappuzha through the Navy from INS Garuda .
About 200 boxes of medicines were supplied through various medical teams that visited relief camps in Ernakulam district.
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So far, medicines worth ₹40 lakh were supplied to various places in the two days since the helpline started. “At least, ten times of it is the requirement to meet the demand,” said the control room pharmacist.
More than one lakh doxycycline tablets are required as a prophylactic measure. People in relief camps and volunteers are to be given the tablet to prevent waterborne diseases, said medical experts.
About 40 medical teams were sent to various camps in the district from the control room. Each team had about two to three doctors and two to three paramedical staff, and each team visited about five to six camps.
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Most of the teams were transported on large lorries. Only a few camps could be reached through other vehicles.