Hospitals ready for emergency

Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) swung into action on Monday just as cyclone Vardah struck the city in the afternoon. 

Minister for Health and Family Welfare C Vijaya Bhaskar inspected the arrangements made at the RGGGH here along with Health Secretary Dr Radhakrishnan and senior officials from the health department. 

Dr Elango, resident medical officer, Madras Medical College said, “The common medical emergencies during cyclone and heavy rains are diarrhoea, lower respiratory problems and injuries. We have ensured that there is enough stock of medicines to address the needs of high volume of patients. We have checked the oxygen supply as well.”

He added that the out-patient department and the 150-bed emergency ward had enough medical staff including doctors and nurses. However, officials said that while shelters were taking care of those stranded and requiring immediate medical attention, they were also ensuring water chlorination. 

Dr K Kolandasamy, Director, Public Health Medicine said, “The relief focus remains on Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and parts of Villupuram. Emergency services like the 108 are fully geared to attend injuries and accidents. But with cyclones and heavy rains our biggest concern is safety of water. Water chlorination is being carried out on a war footing.” 

He added that shelter and medical camp have been equipped with enough food and medicines. “We have ensured sanitation and availability of basic medicines at the camps in the four districts,” he said. A few cases of minor injuries, following uprooting of trees were reported, according to sources at 108 and 104 helplines.

However, as many of the private hospitals and clinics were closed residents with minor ailments and injuries were left in the lurch. An Egmore resident, Vinitha S, who needed an urgent shot of tetanus, scoured the entire locality to find them empty. She said, “I finally went to Dr.U.Mohan Rau Memorial Hospital for it. But as power was switched off, it was administered in the dark.”

Kumaran Hospitals, in the heart of Kilpauk, had its staff trained in disaster management. Nithya Shivakumar, chief operating officer of the facility, said, “All our staff have reported for duty. Apart from a code blue team that will attend emergency inside the premises, we also have the disaster management team to address any rush of patients.”