AIIMS-Delhi doctors to set up medical camps in Amritsar, Gurdaspur

A team of 22 doctors from AIIMS, New Delhi, will arrive in Amritsar tonight to provide medical relief in flood-hit areas in Ramdas and Ajnala. The team is comprised of specialist doctors and senior nursing staff that would set up medical camps in Ramdas, Ajnala and Gurdaspur, targeting the regions severely impacted by the recent floods.

The team is led by Dr Amarinder Singh Malhi, an interventional radiologist at AIIMS and an alumnus of Government Medical College, Amritsar. He said: “Our team includes psychiatrists, gynaecologists, paediatrician, dermatologists, physicians and trained nursing staff to meet the urgent healthcare needs of affected people. We will travel to the remotest parts of Gurdaspur, Ajnala and Ramdas to deliver medical services.”

On the ground, the team will be coordinated by Dr Rakesh Sharma, a senior surgeon from Amritsar and former faculty member at Government Medical College. “We will set up camps in flood-affected areas, including Gaggomahal and other villages, beginning with areas requiring immediate medical attention,” said Dr Sharma. The medical camps will be set up in collaboration with Voice of Amritsar, a non-profit that has been running an extensive on ground relief operation since the floods hit.

Dr Malhi said apart from anti-malarial drugs and anti-histamines, the team is carrying medicines and supplies sufficient for 1,000 patients. “Flood-hit villages usually report a high incidence of respiratory illnesses, diarrhoea, skin infections and gynaecological complications. There must be patients experiencing post-traumatic stress disorders, especially among children, that is why we will also be focusing on mental health check-ups,” he said.

The team will coordinate with Voice of Amritsar, Khalsa Aid and Global Sikh Foundation for on ground infrastructure.

Dr Rakesh Sharma, said Voice of Amritsar has already ensured a back-up of medical supplies and other essentials. “Our collection centres are brimming with essentials, especially medicines. Many of the worst-hit areas remain cut off, submerged or located in far-flung regions where conventional vehicles cannot reach. Now, that the rain has stopped and water is expected to recede, medical aid and attention is required as the fear of catching disease is one of the biggest concerns now,” he said.