Centre assures all-out health care assistance to flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today said all assistance will be provided to the state health authorities to tackle any possible epidemic in the aftermath of the devastating floods.

Vardhan was speaking at a meeting held with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and senior officers at Hari Niwas to review the ongoing relief operations in the state, an official spokesman said.

The Union Minister took a detailed review of the health related relief measures and also took stock of essential medicines and other health care facilities provided.

The Chief Minister sought central assistance to restore the health infrastructure affected due to floods and also to carry out an extensive measles vaccination programme for vulnerable age group of 0 to 15 years.

He also informed that almost 50 lakh chlorine tablets have been received in the state and mobile purification plants are being used to provide safe drinking water to the people.

The authorities have been directed to press into service more pumps for dewatering and taking appropriate preventive measures to check any epidemic outbreak, Omar said.

Vardhan was also apprised that supplies of emergency medicines have been dispatched to various district hospitals.

The Health Minister assured the state of all possible assistance and asked authorities to press medical teams to various affected areas so that much needed health care facilities is provided to the public.

He said it is important to inform the people about the water purification methods and other vaccinations to check diseases.

It was also informed in the meeting that general public should be sensitized that about one to two tablets of chlorine can purify about 20 litres of water.