Jammu and Kashmir floods: Health services limping back to normal

SRINAGAR: After the recent floods and unprecedented waterlogging, Health Services in Kashmir Valley are returning to normal with district hospitals catering to patient rush, especially from rural areas. The Health and Medical Education Department has set up 58 mobile health clinics in Srinagar city as water has been drained out from G B Pant Hospital, L D Hospital and SMHS Hospital, an official spokesman said.

Clean up operations at hospitals have begun and once electricity and water connectivity is restored they will start operating, he said.

Four mobile hospitals have been pressed into service to reach out to people in need, the spokesman said.

Quoting reports from other parts of Kashmir, he said all the district hospitals are running normally and catering to patient rush from rural areas.

Health and Medical Education Minister Taj Mohiuddin, who is monitoring the health services, directed the department to start anti-measles vaccination in flood-affected areas on a war-footing.

The Minister, who is in constant touch with the Health authorities in Delhi, said at present, six lakh anti-measles vaccines are ready and more are on their way to Srinagar.

He directed Health authorities to press more vaccination teams into service in the camps where people from flood-hit areas have been housed.

The SMHS Hospital has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 100 crore to its machinery and diagnostic equipment due to waterlogging and floods, the spokesman said.