800 treated at flood relief centres in Sultanpur Lodhi

As many as 800 patients have been treated at the flood relief centres established by the Health Department in the flood-hit areas of Kapurthala over the past fortnight — August 12 to August 25.

With water rising, and the flood situation rendered more severe by heavy rains over the past 48 hours, there has been another breach at the Ahli Kalan bundh this morning and several roof collapses have also put health teams on their toes with patients being rescued and taken to emergency medical centres.

In view of the new emergencies, the department has constituted three more medical relief teams for the Fattu Dhinga block to tackle cases in the vicinity of the Ahli Kalan breach.

Three medical teams are already functional for the island villages near Baupur in the Sultanpur Lodhi block.

Fevers, stomach, eye and skin infections besides hypertension-related ailments are the most reported conditions among the residents in these flood-hit areas. The events of the past two days have also brought in injury patients.

This morning, three residents sustained injuries as the roof of an atta chakki at Kabirpur village collapsed in rain. Two of them were taken for treatment to the Sultanpur Lodhi Sub Divisional Hospital (SDH). One of the patients, 75-year-old Parkash Kaur who suffered a fracture, and also a patient of diabetes and chronic hypertension, was referred to Medical Colleg,e Amritsar, doctors said. The second patient, a man, suffered bruises and minor injuries, doctors added.

The administration also provided relief and first aid to another woman whose house collapsed due to heavy rain at the Ucha Dhora village in Sultanpur Lodhi on Monday night.

Kapurthala Civil Surgeon Dr Harpal Singh said, “Our OPD caters to 50 to 60 patients daily. All of them are being treated promptly at the relief centres. Serious cases are being brought to the SDH Sultanpur Lodhi, but there have been very few serious cases so far. Only two hypertension cases were referred to Sultanpur Lodhi, who, too, were discharged after a swift recovery. The patient, who sustained injuries in the Kabirpur roof collapse incident, was also referred to the SDH. Another patient has sustained only minor injuries. We have deputed three more teams after the Ahli Kalan breach.”

Since mid-August, a permanent medical flood relief centre has been set up at the Lakh Warian Government Primary School, some 800 metres from the Baupur bandh, where a staff of seven, including a pharmacist and two MPHWs, remains deputed throughout the day on rotation — four in the morning and three at night.

An 108 ambulance is also permanently stationed at Lakh Warian for villagers of Baupur. Another 108 ambulance remains deputed in the day at the Baupur bandh and leaves at night.

Teams also tour villages using boats daily to provide relief and first aid.

Dr Sarbarinder Singh Sethi, SMO, Tibba Community Health Centre, said, “Most of the patients in the OPD are of stomach, eye and skin infections. Besides, there are also patients of hypertension. So far, no cases of dengue or snake bites have been reported in the region. Medical teams are also ensuring daily reach out to villages through SDRF boats. The health of flood-affected patients is under close watch and recoveries have been swift thus far.”

No dedicated doctor

Due to a severe shortage of doctors in Kapurthala, presently the flood relief camp at Baupur (Lakh Warian School) is making do without a dedicated doctor. Serious patients are referred to the SDH Sultanpur Lodhi which is the base camp and rapid response centre for all medical emergencies being reported from the flood-hit areas of Sultanpur Lodhi.