Kerala Floods: Medical Fraternity Comes in Support

Thiruvananthapuram: In order to provide aid to the Kerala citizens currently suffering the massive flooding in the state, the medical fraternity and the Union health ministry are making constant efforts to provide medical assistance to the grief-stricken state.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, recently stated that the Health Ministry is extending all support for the flood relief measures in Kerala and monitoring the flood situation on a regular basis.

The Union Health Ministry is coordinating with other States which have committed to providing medicines so as to augment relief supplies. Moreover, teams of doctors and medical staff are coming to the state to provide medical aid to the victims of the natural calamity.

Not one to stay behind, the medical fraternity particularly the younger generation of resident doctors are also taking a lead.

From the capital, FORDA, the largest organization of resident doctors in the country, has also come forward in the hour of need to provide essential medicines and health care services to the flood victims. The association has written to the Health Ministry as well as the state government asking for the permission to allow them to volunteer and to make necessary arrangements for traveling, accommodation and posting at required places by coordinating with local bodies involved.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr Vivek Chouksey, President, FORDA said, “The situation in relief camps is that there aren’t adequate ways to avail medical assistance. People would have left behind their medicines in their flooded homes and would be anxious about the ailments they would be suffering from. The situation in relief camps is that there aren’t adequate ways to avail medical assistance”

 

#KeralaFloods @FordaIndia stands with #Kerala in this hour of need. Will be sending a #TeamofDoctors with medicines and other essential items#KeralaFloodRelief @PMOIndia @MoHFW_INDIA @JPNadda @TheDoctors

— Vivek Chouksey (@DrVivek_16) August 20, 2018

Other states are also not staying behind. Apart from monetary support from Maharashtra, a team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff comprising 55 doctors, including Mumbai-based JJ Hospital's dean, 26 doctors from the Sassoon hospital in Pune, 14 paramedics and some members of the minister's staff, from Maharashtra has gone to Kerala. The Maharashtra government had also pledged to give Rs 20 crore to the state as relief fund.

From the neighbouring state, Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister K Palaniswami had announced relief materials including rice, milk and Rs 5 crore for relief operations and essential medicines and teams comprising medical and veterinary doctors were being immediately dispatched.

While considering the additional burden of disease in the aftermath of floods, the health ministry has decided to send quick response medical teams to Kerala to provide emergency medical care. Support under the National Health Mission will be provided to make the damaged primary health care infrastructure functional. Health advisories on infectious disease prevention and control, safe drinking water, hygiene measures and vector control, have been prepared and shared with the state government.

Meanwhile, the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) has been collecting flood relief material from past couple of days. AIIMS students' union, nursing union and Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) are contributing materials such as medicines, first aid kits, food packets, she-kit items, stationery and other household things.

 

SU & @AIIMSRDA working tirelessly to support our fellow Indians of kerala in this time of natural disaster. We will also extend our healthcare facilities to affected areas. #AIIMSWithKerala Whole country #StandWithKerala #DoForKerala on #WorldHumanitarianDay pic.twitter.com/YXdC2sZelE

— Harjit Singh Bhatti (@DrHarjitBhatti) August 19, 2018

Other medical organizations are also contributing to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. Association of Minimal Access Surgeons of India (AMASI) has donated a sum of Rs 10 lakh to the welfare of the flood victims.

The deadly monsoon rains have claimed 210 lives in Kerala since August 8 and displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.