Advises constant information campaign to prevent disease outbreak
SRINAGAR, Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Health Minister, has proposed that boats be
mobilised to send medical supplies to the people of the inundated areas of
Srinagar who find it impossible to venture out of their homes because of the
high flood waters.
Returning here after a day’s tour of the flood
ravaged areas, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister,
Mr Omar Abdullah, had received his proposal positively.
“The Chief Minister has directed his officials
to mobilise the available boats and start something on an urgent basis.
Meanwhile, I am arranging for accelerating the supply side especially in
respect of doctors and health workers,” he said.
Mr Narinder Nath Vora, the Governor of Jammu
and Kashmir, on whom the Minister made a call, had also agreed to push this
idea. People suffering from diabetes, hypertension among the cut-off population
need to be urgently rushed their dozes of medicines. Only boats laden with such
drugs can access such people.
The J&K Chief Minister praised the functioning
of the reverse osmosis water treatment plants sent through Red Cross. The
central government had also sent 80 women gynaecologists whose role had met
with wide appreciation among the affected population.
Simultaneously, the Union Minister has urged the
state’s health secretary and other officials of the urgent need to dispose of
the carcasses lying around Srinagar. Pointing out that a number of diseases
could spread because of the omnipresence of dead animals, he also urged the
launch of an information-education-communication-intervention offensive to make
people conscious of the need to boil water before drinking and observing other
hygienic parameters of the present situation.
“I have urged for central monitoring of the
supply of filtered water. For people cut off I have advised that chlorine
tablets be supplied. Just one tablet dissolved in 20 litres of water after 30
minutes could safeguard people against water borne diseases,” Dr Harsh Vardhan
pointed out.
The Minister appreciated the work of the Army,
BSF and other agencies which are working round the clock to reach succour to
the affected population. “There are a large number of doctors from Delhi’s
central government hospitals who rushed there at this calamitous time. I can’t
muster enough words in their praise,” he said.
Accompanied by officials of the Ministry who
included Dr P. Ravindran, Director, Emergency Medical Relief, Dr Venkatesh,
Additional Director, National Centre for Disease Control, and Mr Anshu Prakash,
Joint Secretary, Dr Harsh Vardhan visited the Hum Huma Relief Camp in Srinagar.
He visited the 60-bed composite hospital run by the BSF. His special concern
was the neo-natal cases and he inquired into their care. He stopped at the Ada
Sayad Memorial District Hospital in Budgaon and interacted with doctors and
patients. At the Army Base Hospital he inspected the facilities for premature
birth cases.
Dr Harsh Vardhan, who visited the affected
areas of Jammu and Poonch yesterday, also met the Union Home Secretary, Mr Anil
Goswami, who is camping in Srinagar. “We discussed how best the relief work can
be coordinated,” he added.
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