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Amid the floods, threat of water-borne diseases
View(s):In the aftermath of the flood havoc, the Health Ministry has directed Medical Officers of Health (MOH) to be vigilant about water-borne diseases and take preventive measures. Health Services Deputy Director General Harsha de Silva said that in the flood-affected districts, the people needed to be cautious about their health as skin diseases, dysentery and gastroenterological diseases could spread due to water contamination caused by the floods.
Dr. de Silva said the major issue the health officers faced was that the flood levels had not receded and it was difficult to reach thousands of affected people. The Home Affairs Ministry will undertake the task of cleaning water wells and, for this purpose, District Secretariats and the Divisional Secretariats have distributed chlorine powder.
Medical services to flood-affected areas are being coordinated by Provincial and Regional Directors of Health Services (PDHS) and Provincial Director of Health Services (RDHS).
Kalutara’s Health Services Director Dr. Udaya Ratnayake the floods had gravely affected the people and more than 40 camps had been set up for the affected people. However, the affected could gain access to only five camps through the normal mode of transport.
In the Kalutara district 15 teams have been utilised to attend to medical requirements. They include district doctors. The Ministry of Health has informed the Kalutara authorities that about 50 doctors would be sent there when needed and the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital has agreed to send five teams.
Sabaragamuwa’s Health Director of Sabaragamuwa Dr. Kapila Kannangara said doctors were working tirelessly and even going against regulations to serve the affected people. The security forces were making efforts to bring marooned people to medical stations.
Southern Province Health Director Dr. G. Wijesuriya said they had difficulties in reaching the affected people. Travelling by boats to reach the people had also failed due to the strong currents. Therefore, they had requested air transport.
Meanwhile,GMOA Secretary Dr. Nalinda Herath said they had registered 100 voluntary doctors to be deployed to the affected areas as a gesture of goodwill, while the Public Services United Nurses’ Union has offered 1,000 voluntary nurses to serve in the affected areas.
“We are expecting diseases to break out in a few days and we have set up teams consisting of doctors and nurses and the nearest hospitals have also been put on alert for emergency admissions,” he said.