New Delhi, Jan 05: The Centre has taken all necessary
steps to prevent outbreak of any disease and is sending more
doctors and paramedics to strengthen surveillance teams in the
tsunami affected areas, Union Health Minister Anbumani
Ramadoss said here today.
"Though there were some cases of gastroenteritis, no
reports of outbreak of any disease have come," he said, adding
the teams are fully equipped to prevent such situation and
"there is no need to worry about epidemics."
The teams, which were earlier sent to Gujarat and Latur
during earthquakes in 2001 and 1993 respectively, are
cautiously monitoring the situation in the Andaman and Nicobar
islands and assessing the disease pattern to prevent outbreak
of any disease, he told reporters during his first press
conference after visiting the affected areas.
"The teams are taking all necessary action and have
already started vaccinating children below five years against
measles along with vitamin a supplements," he said.
Admitting that there were minor problems in sending
medicines to remote areas, the minister said "we would be
deploying 12 officers from Indian Administrative Services to
coordinate the programme."
The government is now focusing on providing psychological
help as some people were still under shock, he said.
"We have sent a team of psychiatrists to provide
psychological relief to the traumatised people and Nimhans in
Bangalore is coordinating with the teams," he said.
As contaminated water could trigger an epidemic, the
Centre is taking every step to provide safe drinking water in
the affected areas, Health Secretary P K Hota said.
"About 70 per cent of the water supply has been restored
and the government is sending 25 tonnes of packaged water
every day in the areas where water bodies have been
contaminated," he said.
The Centre would be sending 30 more doctors and an equal
number of paramedics who would stay there for about two months
as the people need sustained relief, he said.
"We would send 60 people on a contract who would stay
there for about two months to provide sustained medical help
especially to women and children," Hota said.
The Centre is also sending Ayurvedic and homeopathic
doctors to assist the local health authorities in extending
medical help in the tsumani affected areas, he said.
Bureau Report
