Medical relief begins in flood-hit areas

Medical support and relief operations have begun in the next phase of relief operations for families affected by the floods in many districts of the state. Today, a team of 22 healthcare professionals, including doctors and senior staff nurses, visited Chamiari, Siddhiwala and Bhindi Saidan villages in Ajnala. They set up medical camps at the Ajnala Civil Hospital and schools, offering their services to walk-in patients of nearby villages that were cut off from healthcare service for the last 12 days.

Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney has directed to set up a large-scale medical camps fearing the outbreak of water-borne diseases caused by stagnant water in flood-affected areas. Today, teams of doctors reached at various places, where people were living, by using boats, tractors and other means.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Rohit Gupta said the Health Department organized medical camps at 22 places in Ajnala and Ramdas and at six places, the camps were organized by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). About 6,800 patients were provided immediate medical services and consultation and tested for any infection.

Dr Amrinder Singh Malhi, leading the AIIMS (Delhi) team, said AIIMS, New Delhi, will set up a 24/7 helpline number for telephonic consultation on medication and other ailments. “We remain committed to treating as many people as we can and today, we have treated patients with allergies, water-borne infections and respiratory issues. We will again visit more villages, preferably areas that no one has reached till date,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rohit Gupta said yesterday, an eight-year-old child, Abhijot Singh, was found to have a kidney problem in Talwandi Rai Dadu, who was admitted to the paediatric ward of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital by the Health Department. He said that this child is undergoing treatment there and the Punjab government will bear all the expenses of the treatment as far as possible. He also appealed to people that they can take the services of doctors sitting 24 hours in these flood relief camps in any emergency. If someone is bitten by a snake, they can reach there and get the patient vaccinated.

More teams of docs to reach needy, says Jasbir Jassi

Singer Jasbir Jassi, who has been continuing to support relief efforts since day one, said they are helping to mobilise more medical teams from across Punjab and country to reach people in flood-affected areas of Ajnala, Ramdas, Fazilka and Gurdaspur.

“We will facilitate more support for the AIIMS team of doctors till the time they are here. Also, another team of doctors will soon be arriving here from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi. The medical camps will continue for the next few days to help people who need immediate medical support,” he said.

Jassi said he does not have a team of his own on the ground. “There is no team and I have been coordinating and connecting people through my network and through calls. I receive 500 calls every day and messages to ensure I do not miss out on any call for help. By now, everyone in Punjab or elsewhere in the world have my phone number. Those volunteering for us have been strictly told not to get any photos clicked, because once you start doing that, the actual work gets forgotten,” said the singer.