Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday directed the Health and Family Welfare Department to intensify its efforts to provide relief to the people in terms of diagnosis and treatment in the flood-affected districts of the state.
Chairing a review meeting here on Tuesday, the chief minister said the floods have caused irreparable damage in the various districts of the state and now, when the water has started receding, the fear of diseases spreading amongst the human beings and animals has taken over.
He said the state government is making a massive effort to prevent the spread of disease. Bhagwant Singh Mann said so far, around 1.50 lakh people have benefited from the health camps being organized in the flood affected villages where cases of fever, diarrhoea, skin infections and others are coming in huge numbers.
He said a special health campaign was launched on September 14 to address post-flood health challenges with key motive to ensure accessible healthcare in flood-affected village, prevention of vector-borne, waterborne and communicable diseases, protecting vulnerable groups (elderly, pregnant women, infants) and strengthening disease surveillance and rapid response.
The chief minister said health camps have been organized in all 2303 villages, from three consecutive days adding that teams of Doctors, Paramedical teams, support staff equipped with essential medicines and consumables are serving the people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that similarly every ASHA worker is covering all households in villages and so far, around 2.47 lakh households have been covered by them. Health kits are being distributed in the villages which include ORS, mosquito repellent, paracetamol, cetirizine, chlorine tablets, soap, and basic first-aid supplies adding that by September 20, 2025 every household will be covered. A 21-Day Fumigation and Vector Control Drive has been started with an aim to cover all villages across the state.
Likewise, the chief minister said the Animal Husbandry Department has also launched a drive to prevent disease from spreading in the region. So far, 14,780 animals have been treated and 48,535 cattle have been vaccinated free of cost. Safe and scientific disposal of carcasses of animals that perished in floods is being ensured to prevent soil and water contamination leading to outbreak of diseases.
The Chief Minister said that drainage of stagnant water from fields and village surroundings is being ensured and Gram Rozgar Sewaks are being roped in for breeding checking, fumigation and cleanliness drives. He said that cleanup operation should be completed by September 21 and cleaning and disinfection of livestock shelters and feeding areas is being done in villages. Likewise, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that debris and contaminated feed is also being removed along with Disinfection of Feeding and Water troughs of animals.
He said distribution of Potassium permanganate (KMnO4 crystals) to Livestock Farmers is being done free of cost for cleaning and disinfection of feeding and water troughs. Farmers have been advised to use KMnO4 for disinfection of hooves/ feet on regular basis to prevent Foot-rot Infection adding that Cleaning/ Disinfection of animal Teats is being done before milking to minimize Mastitis.
Mann said requisite medicines are being distributed free of cost besides ensuring other logistic support. 14,780 animals have been given requisite treatment in the camps at flood affected villages adding that a 24 x 7 control room is functional in the entire affected district. These control rooms are being monitored by a veterinary officer and consultation is being provided to the farmers on the mobile.
He said the supply of safe potable drinking water in all flood-affected areas through regular testing and chlorination should be ensured. Likewise, repair of any leakages from water supply pipelines to prevent and manage water borne diseases outbreaks should be ensured.