Punjab Health Department on Thursday dispatched three medical relief vans with specialist doctors for the flood affected areas of the state.
The vans have the teams of para-medical staff members besides the Medical Specialists, dermatologists and gynaecologists to conduct proper medical check up of patients.
The state Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, after sending off the vans, said that these medical relief vans would ensure 100 percent quality healthcare services in the state’s flood-affected areas.
“Specialists doctors have also been deputed in the Relief Vans. Apart from medicines available in the medical camps, each medical van is well stocked with many kinds of essential medicines to cater to around 5,000 adult patients and 2,000 children. To curb the water-borne diseases, two lakh chlorine tablets are also being sent in these vans,” he said.
Talking about the medical camps, the Health Minister said that health check up of around 17,000 patients has been conducted in the camps from August 18 to 28, and treatment pertaining viral, loose motion, vomiting, skin and other common diseases are being provided to the suffering patients.
He said that vaccines regarding snake bite, dog bite and other animal bites are also being provided in the flood affected areas of State.
The Minister said that 74 special teams have been set up to tackle vector-borne diseases due to stagnating water, which are incessantly spraying the larvicide and pesticides to cover affected areas of cities and villages.
He said that teams of Health Department are working jointly with teams of Local Government and Rural Development Department, while the authorities have been instructed to collect samples of drinking water in all affected areas.
At the same time, Sidhu appealed to the people to contact toll free number 104 helpline to avail the healthcare services. “Instructions have already been issued to the Civil Surgeons to personally monitor the functioning of medical camps so as to ensure the quality treatment services,” he said.
Breach in Bharwai -Bikaner canal plugged Averting major damage, the timely action by Ferozepur District Administration has led to immediate plugging of breach in Bharwai-Bikaner Canal.
An official spokesperson of the government said that on early Thursday morning, a 20 feet wide breach in Bharwai-Bikaner Canal, near Luther village, was reported.
“Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendant Police rushed to the spot, and the work of plugging the breach commenced around 7:30 am and has been successfully accomplished,” said the spokesperson.
To accomplish the plugging operation at war footing, the employees of Water Recourses Department diverted the water of Bikaner canal to East Canal which eased the plugging by reducing the water pressure, said the spokesperson added that the locals also supported the administration in the plugging operation.
Although water entered the surrounding fields but major damage has been averted as it was prevented from entering the village houses, said the spokesperson assuring that the people would be compensated for the loss of crops at the earliest as Deputy Commissioner has been directed to furnish the crop-loss report.
Massive cleanliness drive initiated in flood ravaged villages
Aiming to prevent post deluge spread of disease or epidemic, a massive cleanliness drive has been initiated in the flood-hit villages of Punjab.
Hundreds of sanitation workers from various municipalities have been deputed in these villages along with the tractor-trolleys and earthmovers to remove the garbage from the streets, said an official government spokesperson.
Spokesperson said that sanitation teams have been formed in each village under the supervision of the Executive Officers to ensure cleaning of every nook and corner for prevention of outbreak of epidemic.
The mud, dirt ,vegetation , plastic waste, etc brought by floodwater is being cleaned up by the sanitation teams, said the spokesperson adding that fogging is being carried out, twice in a day in these villages since past few days.
Spokesperson said that the flood-water has receded in most of the villages due to which it has become easy for the sanitation teams to carry out the cleanliness drive.