Officials at EDCD say that people of the flood affected areas are prone to diarrhea, dysentery and types of contagious diseases. "Our past experience shows that people are more likely to suffer from diarrheal infection in the flood affected areas. We have already cautioned health officials of respective districts," Dr GD Thakur, director of EDCD, said. He said that the health workers in the flood affected areas have been urging people to treat water properly before they drink it. "Boiling is the best way to ensure that drinking water is free of diseases," Dr Thakur said. [break]
The division claimed that it has already supplied medicines in the districts and more medicines would be sent through regional stores if needed. Dr Thakur has said that center will deploy additional health workers in the affected areas if needed. The office, however, said that the district has not sought additional manpower so far.
Director Thakur also claimed that the office remains highly alert during the monsoon. The office said that communication channels have been set up at grassroots levels through which the center can act immediately. Due to constraint in the budget, the Logistics Management Division (LMD) that supplies medicines to health centers failed to supply required quantity of medicines this year. He said if medicines are not supplied in time, the office will seek help from regional buffer stores operated by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The EDCD has already imparted training to health workers across the country to make them active in monsoon season. Monsoon is the most vulnerable period when the chances of outbreaks of communicable diseases are very high. Every year, hundreds of people across the country get infected with communicable disease like diarrhea and typhoid, with scores dying from resulting complications.
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