On the basis of lessons learnt from the flood in 2023, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine are looking to draw up a Disaster Preparedness Plan for Tamil Nadu, and also district-level plans in the longer run.
The directorate has documented its public health response strategies following extensive flooding in the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung in Chennai and its suburbs, and during heavy downpour in southern districts in December 2023, as a result of which there were no major outbreak of diseases.
A team from the DPH, Institute of Community Medicine, Madras Medical College and SRM Medical College, Kattankulathur, has documented the lessons learnt from Tamil Nadu’s flood response in 2023 and public health interventions that were put in place to address potential outbreaks in the article Adapting to Adversity: Public Health Flood Response Strategies Following Twin Disasters, published in the Tamil Nadu Journal of Public Health and Medical Research.
On December 3 and 4, Cyclone Michaung triggered extensive flooding in Chennai and its suburbs, while Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari witnessed unprecedented deluge following the heavy downpour on December 17 and 18.
Floods have significant implications on public health.
The displaced population faced the risk of waterborne and foodborne disease outbreaks such as acute diarrhoeal diseases and dysentery due to interruptions in safe water supply and sanitation, while overcrowding increased the transmission of airborne diseases such as measles and pneumonia. Increased vector breeding raised the risk of vector-borne diseases, the authors said.
Continuous monitoring
“We did anticipate outbreaks following the floods. But, establishing an emergency control centre early worked to our advantage. We continuously monitored the source of drinking water, thereby preventing diarrhoeal diseases, and managed to bring vector-borne diseases under control,” said T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health.
The 474 mobile medical units comprising a doctor, nurse, adequate medications and requirements to perform small interventions, were the biggest advantage for the public health sector, he said, adding: “They can be deployed in any place where there are no resources for immediate response.”
No major outbreaks
The effectiveness of the various flood response measures that included establishment of a command system at the State and district levels, utilisation of technology for informed decision-making, continuous disease surveillance, formation of task-specific teams such as for flood response, vector control, water analysis and continuous monitoring of activities were proved by the absence of major outbreaks in both Chennai and the southern districts, the authors noted. But it does not stop here. The lessons learnt are being put to use for better planning.
Decentralise plan
“We are looking to have a Disaster Preparedness Plan. Most of the time, our response has been to mobilise our mobile medical teams to the affected areas. This is a part of the common response, and we want to decentralise the plan,” Dr. Selvavinayagam said.
Anticipating the severity of an event is difficult, he said, adding: “Within the season, the India Meteorological Department gives an idea of what to anticipate at least a week ahead. Our strategy is to have local coverage. For instance, if there is a problem in Tirunelveli, we can move our team from Namakkal to there or if there is a problem in Tiruvallur, we can move our team from Villupuram.”
“During the floods, we understood that local resources are the most valuable,” he said.
