Dept fully prepared to contain disease outbreak, says health minister

State health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Saturday said that the department is prepared to control spread of disease caused by the heavy floods in Ropar, Jalandhar, Ferozepur  and Kapurthala districts.

Interacting with the media here after inspecting the flood relief camps, he said that the main challenge would be in the form of vector-borne diseases after the water level recedes but the department has already chalked out a comprehensive plan to counter any such undesirable situation.

“Several teams of specialist doctors have been deployed to meet any adverse situation. Many joint action teams comprising doctors of health and animal  husbandry departments have also been constituted,” he said.

 Replying to a question about the vacant posts of doctors in the area, the minister said that to address the current crisis, specialists doctors, including gynaecologists, have been deputed at the civil hospital of Lohian and Sultanpur Lodhi.

Earlier the minister visited the relief camp at senior secondary school, Lohian Khas, and met the people of Mandala village and assured them of all possible help for their rehabilitation as soon as the water recedes.

Sidhu directed civil surgeon Dr Gurinder Kuar Chawla, who is posted at Lohian relief camp, to personally monitor the functioning of medical camps besides ensuring adequate supply of medicines.