Hyderabad Rains: Health staff gear up for challenges
Officials urge people to be on alert over possibility of rise in cases of water, food and vector-borne ailments
Hyderabad: Sounding an alert over the possibility of rise in cases of water, vector and food-borne ailments in the aftermath of the heavy rains across Hyderabad, the Health Department said the entire health administration in Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts was all geared up to provide treatment to affected individuals.
In the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, senior health officials said that all efforts were being made to ensure there was no outbreak of clusters of Covid-19 cases, along with water, vector and food-borne diseases in urban areas that are severely affected by flooding.
As part of these efforts, the State’s Public Health Department organised 182 health camps across the three districts. As many as 110 senior doctors, 186 staff nurses and 142 supporting staff have been deputed to the special health camps for providing healthcare facilities to families impacted in the flooding.
The Basthi Dawakhanas and urban primary health centres in areas across the three districts under GHMC would remain open round-the-clock and patients can walk in at any time and avail the facilities. The health officials have also urged general public in these areas to utilise 104 helpline to seek emergency medical assistance from the local district health administration.
In the last four days, 14,961 persons were treated through special camps, and of them, 1,055 were identified as viral fever cases, 232 diarrhoeal cases and another 930 individuals were identified with upper respiratory tract infections. Close to 56 individuals were also given treatment for injuries received in the heavy rains.
To ensure there was no flare-up of Covid-19, the health authorities are also conducting rapid diagnostics at the health camps and also for individuals trapped in their homes due to inundation of water, through mobile health camps. Already, close to 2,000 individuals at these health camps have been screened for Covid-19 out of which 19 tested positive.
“We have converted 67 ambulances into mobile health camps, which are stationed near low-lying areas and relief camps to provide healthcare services, apart from conducting Covid-19 tests. In the process, we have also distributed nearly 10,000 masks and nearly 2,000 hand sanitizers,” Director of Public Health Dr G Srinivasa Rao said.
Director of Medical Education (DME) Dr K Ramesh Reddy said orders were issued to all the tertiary hospitals, District and Area Hospital and Community Health Centres, not to deny healthcare facilities to any person impacted by the heavy rains.
“We have directed all the hospitals to immediately admit patients and start treatment at the earliest. We also urge general public to visit the nearest healthcare facility to avail facilities. The idea is that nobody should be denied admission and treatment at any government health care facility,” Reddy said.
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