News
Rs 7m WHO grant for Health clinics for flood victims
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has granted Rs. 7 million to the Health Ministry to conduct Health clinics and programmes for flood affected victims.
A medical camp in progress. Pic by Amila Gamage
Disaster Preparedness and Response Unit Director, Dr A.D.H. Herath said the WHO made an initial payment of Rs 1 million, while the balance Rs 6 million is available for additional relief work.
Dr Herath said there were no major outbreaks of an epidemic following the floods, except for bruises, rashes and viral flu. “Most of them had washerman’s hands and feet because of long hours in the water. These were treated as it could lead to fungal infection,” he said.
He attributed this to a massive campaign conducted by Health personnel, both in the private and public sector, offering prompt healthcare to flood victims. “Doctors, nurses and dispensers have conducted over 100 mobile clinics on a regular basis within temporary shelters housing victims,” he said.
Dr Herath said sicknesses such as food poisoning, cholera, dysentery, viral flu and allergies that generally follow a flood, have been averted because of the prompt action of Health personnel.
He said the Health Ministry had deployed Medical Officers of Health (MOH) of the respective areas, Regional Directors of Health services, the Colombo Municipal Council and private organisations to treat flood victims.
Meanwhile, camps were fumigated frequently to prevent dengue mosquitoes from breeding. Inmates have been provided with mosquito nets and directed to keep their surroundings clean.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has sent out guidelines to residents returning to their homes on cleaning up their homes, with health officers and public health inspectors educating residents on the cleaning process.
They have been directed to wear gloves, boots and face masks when cleaning their homes, to avoid infection. They have also been advised that all wells and toilets be thoroughly cleaned using bleaching powder, and to add chlorine into their wells for several days before using.