Bhubaneswar: State health minister Mukesh Mahaling on Sunday visited Bhadrak district and reviewed the post-flood health situation.He said diarrhoea, snakebite cases and safe deliveries for pregnant women remain major challenges in the flood-affected areas, and the govt is taking necessary steps to handle the situation. “We have made antivenom injections available at the primary health centre-level in the flood-affected districts to manage snakebite cases. Proper arrangements have been made for the safe evacuation of pregnant women for delivery. Health teams are already working on the ground in the flood-affected areas to monitor the situation, especially cases of diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases,” the minister said.During a review meeting with officials at the office of the chief district medical and public health officer, Bhadrak, Mahaling said a control room helpline number, 9439994459, has been issued, and 16 mobile relief centres have been made functional in the affected areas to provide emergency health services. “To ensure smooth management of health services, 34 medical teams, eight rapid action teams and 10 mobile health units have been deployed in the district. A special medical team from Cuttack has been continuously monitoring the situation. The local Ayushman Arogya Mandir subhealth centres are being kept open round the clock,” the health minister said.He added 55 pregnant women from the affected areas have already been shifted to safe locations, and 21 of them have had safe deliveries. Similarly, all snakebite patients were immediately provided antivenom and are now healthy, he said.“I have instructed officials to maintain adequate stocks of antivenoms, halogen tablets, ORS and other essential medicines,” he said.Chief secretary Anu Garg said sanitation, disinfection and safe drinking water supply would be prioritised to prevent outbreaks.Odisha govt has deputed four senior health and family welfare department officials to the flood-affected districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Keonjhar and Jajpur to oversee post-flood measures. The officials did field assessments on Saturday and Sunday, coordinating with the district administrations and health teams to monitor disease risks and healthcare preparedness.
