Officials at the EDCD said that precautionary measures are needed in those districts to prevent further loss of lives. Most of the health facilities in those districts have collapsed due to the devastating quake."We are planning to request all the medical colleges to send their staff and students to the highly affected districts during the upcoming monsoon," Dr Baburam Marasaini, director of EDCD, said. He informed that the office has already informed some of the medical colleges about its plan.
The risk of epidemic spread during the monsoon is proving a major headache for the concerned government officals as it is the time when thousands of people get infected with the water borne diseases. Each year hundreds of people succumb to infectious diseases during the season.
"This year the situtaion is more severe and challenges are multiple," said Dr Marasini, adding, "So we need to make additional preparations in terms of manpower and medicines."
According to Director Marasini, over 700 health facilities, including five district hospitals, were completely destryoed by the devastating quake. He said it is difficult to run health facilities under a tent.
The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) said that it has already assigned some medical colleges and big hospitals to mobilize health workers in the affected districts. "We have asked Bir Hospital to mobilize health workers in Dhading and Dolakha, Patan Hospital in Gorkha," Dr Guna Raj Lohani, spokesperson at the MoHP, informed. He informed that the ministry has asked Lumbini Medical College to deploy health workers in Rasuwa and BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Okhaldhunga.
Related story
Nobel-worthy
