Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005
Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005 |
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By Our Special Correspondent
CUDDALORE, FEB. 23. In the post-tsunami period, the World Health Organisation has decided to strengthen its healthcare delivery system in India, including in Tamil Nadu. Soon after the tragedy, the WHO deployed specialists to the affected areas to oversee health services, according to Salim J. Habayeb, its representative. Dr Habayeb, along with three officials, today visited Thevanampattinam, Samiarpettai, Pudupettai and Chinnur in Cuddalore district "to study the field-level health needs in the coastal villages and fine-tune the WHO health services." The WHO was working in coordination with the Government of India and the Governments in the States where the tsunami left a trail of devastation, to improve service delivery, spread health information among the people and arrange for finance, said Dr. Habayeb. The WHO would focus on disease surveillance, maternal and child care and psychosocial support. A set of specialists was being deployed for each cluster (or issue). To address the psychosocial issue the WHO approached the Social Welfare Department on working out the modalities. The tsunami left many orphans and traumatised children and caused a fear psychosis among fishermen who dreaded putting to sea. The WHO prepared two manuals, one for adults and the other for children, giving guidelines to health workers on rapid disease assessment, sanitation, health kits, food safety and early warning on communicable diseases.
Modified guidelines
Though the guidelines were common for almost all natural calamities, those meant for India were slightly modified, because the country witnessed the tsunami attack for the first time in recent times. Asked whether incorporation of disaster-related health care in the medical curriculum was called for, Dr. Habayeb said a need arose for it. It was already fragmentarily and must be taken up comprehensively. A symposium on "Management of health emergencies" to be held in Chennai would take stock of the "lessons learnt from the tsunami and the way forward, and documenting all health aspects."
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