Action taken by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for relief operations in Uttarakhand

New Delhi, June 28 2013: A three member high level team from the Ministry is stationed in Dehradun to assess the public health situation and coordinate with the State Health Authorities to provide whatever assistance is needed. It consists of the Director, Emergency Medical response, Director, National Centre for Disease Control and Joint Director, National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP). 

• The Director General Health Services and Additional Secretary Health are visiting Dehradun to review the situation. 

• Three Central Public Health Teams have been posted to Uttarakhand and are deployed in the affected areas of Chomoli, Joshimath. Four more two-member public health teams are being deployed immediately from Delhi and Kolkata, to join the earlier teams. 

• The first of three 3-member teams from NIMHANS, Bangalore for Psycho-social support have been deployed in the affected areas. The remaining teams are on route to join them this team. 

• Three teams of Specialists Clinicians from Central Government Hospitals have been deployed to assist the Uttrakhand Government. They consist of two Cardiologists, two Medicines Specialists and two Psychiatrists. 

• Three truckloads of medicines from Central Hospitals have been dispatched and received by the State Health Authorities for onward distribution. 

• 10 lakh chlorine tablets have been purchased for distribution to the affected areas of the State as per their request. 

• District units of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), NRHM is conducting health surveillance in all affected districts. After picking up early warning signals, Diarrhoea cases in Haridwar (Alwalpur), Uttarkashi (Udvi) and Rudraprayag(Chandrapuri) have been managed at incipient stage. No outbreak of water borne / food borne / air borne or direct contact diseases has been reported from affected areas. 

• A specialist from National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme has been placed with the State Government for providing assistance on matters pertaining to vector borne diseases. 

Indian Red Cross Society has deployed a two member team from National HQ on 19th June 2013 to Uttarkashi and another team to Pittoragarh. A high level team from the HQ has also visited the State for assessment and coordinating relief work with State Red Cross unit. 

• IRCS has provided 7 truckloads of relief material that includes tents, family packs, kitchen sets, blankets, lanterns etc. 

• 1100 bags for carrying dead bodies have been arranged through Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS). Additional 500 bags procured by MOHFW have also been sent. 

• The situation is being monitored.