Assam floods, which have already claimed over 130 lives and affected more than 22 lakh people, are causing chaos in state hospitals. These hospitals are administering chemotherapy to patients on the go.
Floods have completely inundated many areas of the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Silchar.
The hospital’s resource-mobilization department chief, Dharshana R, was reported by Reuters as saying: “Procedures that may be done outside, like chemotherapy and initial diagnostics, we are doing on the road where there is minimum waterlogging.”
UNICEF, OXFAM, and the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) have reportedly started operating boat-mounted water treatment equipment to give drinking water to those in need in Silchar and its neighbouring districts, according to Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli.
Dr. Ravi Kannan, a Padma Shri Awardee, said in a statement to The Better India that they are making sure that treatment for underprivileged patients doesn’t end. He stated: “We have built a raft. We took four truck tubes, placed plywood across them, and then tied it all together. Patients are being transported up and down that in front of the hospital “in an interview with The Better India, Dr. Kannan said.
Rescue and relief activities through the flood waters are being carried out by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other organisations.
In the previous day, the state has seen at least five more fatalities from drowning in floodwaters. Districts with one death each included Barpeta, Cachar, Darrang, Karimganj, and Morigaon.
Most of the rivers showed a receding trend, though Kopili at Nagaon, Barak at Cachar and Karimganj, and Kushiara in Karimganj were flowing above the danger level, the officials said.
According to a bulletin sent by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority on Sunday, the total number of impacted individuals was 22.21 lakh across 28 districts (ASDMA).
(With inputs from PTI)
