Health Department readies 724 medical teams in 13 cyclone-prone districts

The Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department has made arrangements in 13 districts likely to be affected by Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu. A total of 724 medical teams, 4,628 emergency beds and 205 relief camps have been kept ready to deal with any eventuality.

According to a release issued by the department on Monday (November 2), 398 of the 866 government hospitals in the State have been identified as being located in cyclone-prone areas. To ensure emergency medical services, 359 ambulances (108), 128 Thalli Bidda Express vehicles (102) and 320 mobile medical units (104) have been made available.

Ambulance services have been integrated with the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) portal. Around 300 private ambulances have also been linked to the portal. The system is expected to facilitate the prompt delivery of emergency medical services and ensure the efficient deployment of ambulances in areas where they are needed.

Officials have identified 3,066 pregnant women whose expected delivery dates fall between November 1 and 10. Of them, 1,103 have already been shifted to nearby hospitals. Arrangements are being made to relocate the remaining women in advance, wherever necessary.

Delivery facilities are being arranged at government and private hospitals close to the pregnant women’s residences.

Arrangements have also been made at 121 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) in coastal areas. As many as 15,161 anti-snake venom injections have been stocked to treat snakebite cases.

Generators and alternative power supply facilities have been made available at 848 hospitals. Sanitation measures have been taken to prevent the spread of waterborne, mosquito-borne and foodborne diseases. Chlorine tablets have also been stocked for water purification.