Health minister J P Nadda chairs high level review meeting
Sixty five metric tonnes of essential emergency drugs, 2 crore chlorine tablets and 80 metric tonnes of bleaching powder have been sent/are on way to flood hit Kerala. As flood waters start receding, the state where floods and landslides have already killed some 300 people, is staring at an outbreak of water borne diseases.
Union health minister J P Nadda on Tuesday held a meeitng to review the relief measures. To meet with the situation, 65 metric tonnes of essential emergency drugs for flood situation have been airlifted today by IAF and have reached Trivandrum. 1 cr chlorine tablets have been sent today and another 1 cr are in transit. The total request for 4 cr chlorine tablets will be sent in phases. The Health Ministry has further mobilized 20 MT of bleaching powder which is being sent by road of which 10 MT will reach today and another 10 MT tomorrow. Additional 40 MT of bleaching powder are being procured and shall reach Kerala soon.
Ten specialist medical teams have also been constituted (30 specialists and 20 general duty medical officers). Besides, psycho-social teams from NIMHANS to be deployed as and when requested by the State government
In addition, 12 public health teams have already been constituted, one each for all 12 worst affected districts and ready for deployment on request of the State. Also, 10 specialist medical teams have also been constituted (30 specialists and 20 GDMOs). Besides, psycho-social teams from NIMHANS to be deployed as and when requested by the State government.
National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has issued several health advisories to support the State in meeting with post-flood public health management when the threat of water borne, vector borne and viral hepatitis diseases shall become potent. NCDC teams are ready for deployment to support the State.
As the flood situation in Kodagu in Karnataka is also worsening, one medical team from Bangalore to Kodagu district has also been dispatched there to provide necessary support.
The high level review meeting was attended by Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State from Health and Family Welfare and Preeti Sudan, Secretary (Health) along with other senior officers from NCDC and DGHS. Nadda said that the outbreak situation is being monitored on a daily basis and the strategic Health Operation Centre has been activated. He further said that no outbreak of communicable disease has been reported yet. He said he is in regular communication with K K Shailaja, Health Minister, Kerala and is personally monitoring the situation. Sudan too is in daily communication with the State health functionaries and monitoring the situation daily.