As health services in the flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir remained disrupted, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has stepped in, deputing doctors to offer services and sending 100 tonnes of emergency medicines and supplies.
State authorities have been alerted to possible outbreak of diseases. In the absence of working hospitals and healthcare services, there have been reports of ailing and injured people and new born children dying.
“Our priority right now is epidemic control; after the water starts receding there can be an outbreak of diseases, we are ready to assist the State government with all medicines and services,” said C.K. Mishra, Additional Secretary in the Ministry who was in the Valley to assess the ground conditions.
The State administration has been asked to ensure the supply of potable water as there is a high risk of water borne diseases. The Ministry will also carry out a vaccination drive to prevent the outbreak of measles.
Major hospitals like the Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital, Lal Ded Hospital and the Childrens’ Hospital are unable to offer services as diagnostic equipment have been rendered useless on account of the flooding. Attempts are also being made to provide medicines to people with disorders like diabetes and hypertension.
A control room has been set up to help people. “Two public health teams have been positioned, one each in Jammu and Srinagar for rapid health assessment and to prevent and control public health exigencies. A 10-member clinical team comprising physicians, paediatricians and gynaecologists was positioned in Srinagar on Monday and another 20-member clinical team has been deployed since Thursday.
Two psycho-social teams for psycho-social need assessment are being deployed on Saturday from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore,” said an official of the Ministry.
