Kerala floods: Cleanup after deluge

Thiruvananthapuram: With the rescue operations in the state reaching the final phase, the government has decided to undertake health, sanitation and precautionary measures on a big scale right away.

The government will coordinate the activities of different agencies for unleashing a massive campaign for prevention and control of communicable disease post floods.

A specific plan had already prepared by health department a week ago about the prevention and control of communicable disease. The government has formulated a plan for next 30 days as part of which control rooms and call centres have already started functioning.

The state control room has been set up by coordinating the functioning of various medical camp across the state and to effectively deal with communicable diseases. The control room number  is 18001231454.

All medical camps across the state will be coordinated and monitored by the control room. Issues like shortage of staff, medicines would be sorted out soon after such complaints are recived at the control room. A special team has been constituted to deal with the issues surfacing in the camps.

Besides, the control room will also monitoring the messages, information coming in from social media including Whatsapp, Facebook, audio visual and print media and immediate follow up action would be taken wherever it is required.

The people in affected areas could call on this number to seek medical assistance and facilities .

All arrangements including ambulance services have been put in place.

All doubts regarding any illness or symptoms of illness could be cleared by calling up the control room. Medical advise would be readily available here. Similar control room would be opened in all district headquarters.

The activities are being carried out on the basis of the degree of devastation in districts under the category worst affected, extensively affected and less affected. The worst affected districts Wayanad, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram.

Kozhikode, Kottayam and Kannur were also affected extensively in floods. Thiruvananthapruam, Kolamd and Kasargod suffered minium damage.  Special nodal officers have been  appointed for coordinating the work.

The waste disposal work will be carried out on war footing with the help of local bodies. Specific responsibilities have been assigned to health officials for this purpose. A specific plan has been drawn for disposal of sewage, Caracas and other waste material from the affected areas.

All wells in the flood affected areas would be chlorinated. Precautionary measures will be taken to prevent diarrhoeal and gastrointestinal diseases. Junior health inspectors have been deployed for the task who would be assisted by Asha workers.

The health condition of those staying in relief camps is being monitored constantly. In case of people having any health problems,   they will be immediately shifted to hospitals. Those have suspected symptoms of chickenpox would be isolated. The government has appealed people to contact control room immediately in case if they come across any symptoms of communicable diseases.

A large number of doctors including those from the private sector have been roped in for the post flood health activities. Several other states have also offered to send medical teams. A group of doctors and nurses have already arrived from Maharashtra.

There is no shortage of medicine. Adequate quantities of medicines have been stocked. Drug shortage, if reported in time, would be resolved at the earliest. Many primary health centres have been badly affected by the floods. New PHCs will be opened and the local hospitals would be given additional charge.

The ward sanitary committees and aryogya raksha sena would be revived. The health workers will visit each house to detect any symptoms of illnesses and report the matter to the control room for follow-up action. Besides, the food safety authority would provide clean drinking water in the affected areas.

Since the chances of snake bites are high, all hospitals above taluk level would be provided adequate anti venom.

The health minister said that if all people cooperate and abide by the directions given by the health department, the possibility of an epidemic or major health problem could be prevented in a big way. She said the fake messages needs to be curbed and people should pay heed to the heath department direction and messages.

Additional chief secretary (health) Rajeev Sadanandan said availability of medicine in all affected areas would be ensured.  The medicines have been stocked in three regional stores. In case of shortage of stock in any of these stores, immediate follow up action would be taken to provide medicines.

He said the problems confronted would be discussed and resolved on daily basis.