Tripura health department conducts 1,650 camps, assists 42,155 amid flood crisis

In order to tackle the flood menace that the state has been undergoing, the Tripura Health Department has arranged 1,650 health camps by which the department is able to provide important medical services to 42,155 people throughout the state. Health Secretary Kiran Gitte clarified that the proposed health camps should be arranged in order to provide health services up to the grassroots level.

Outside the camps, the health teams have screened 35,477 people from 23,165 families affected by the floods. As many as 1,321 persons have been treated at the camps for common flood-related problems like diarrhoea, respiratory infections, skin diseases, fever, and injuries.

"To ensure public health safety, we have distributed 739 bags of bleaching powder and provided ample stocks of medicines for common ailments across all health centers," Gitte said. He also recommended boiling drinking water to prevent waterborne diseases.

In a broader update, Gitte, who also heads the Public Works Department (PWD), detailed the extent of damage caused by the deluge: About 4,658.86 km have been badly hit with the estimated loss pegged at Rs 1,825 crore. Landslides have hit 4,644 locations and 321 JCBs besides other machinery have been pressed into service for clearance and restoration. Despite the odds, 1,048 out of the 3,739 affected locations have been restored.

The state also witnessed a record breaking loss of its embankments and dams as 10 out of the state's 11 main rivers have breached danger levels besides compensation of 350,000 sand bags while various irrigation assets have reportedly lost up to Rs 625 crore.