109 health teams, 171 medical teams to help flood victims in Kelantan

The Kelantan Health Department has activated a total of 109 health teams and 171 medical teams to provide treatment to flood victims and prevent infectious diseases at the relief centres in the state.

Its director Datuk Dr Ahmad Razin Ahmad Mahir said for relief centres which housed 1,000 or more evacuees, the medical team personnel would be stationed there permanently while for the other evacuation centers, the team would be in operation for nine hours, from 8am to 5pm.

"Medical services provided will include health checks, emergency care, pharmacy services while health services will comprise inspections and disinfections of the centres, food handlers, and health-related promotions.

"There will also be vectors and pest control activities to be carried out including fogging, checking the quality of drinking water, food preparation and vaccination for typhoid for food handlers at the relief centres," he said in a statement here last night.

He said the team would also be conducting prevention activities on infectious diseases, particularly respiratory tract infections, diarrhea, conjunctivitis and leptospirosis, at the evacuation centres.

Meanwhile, Dr Ahmad Razin said the department has also prepared a list of pregnant mothers who were due to give birth and kidney patients who required hemodialysis to be placed at the nearest hospitals, in order to avoid untoward incidents during the flood.

"A total of 45 women who are at full term of their pregnancy and 20 kidney patients have been placed in several hospitals in the state to help them receive treatment," he said.

He also advised the public not to play in the flood waters to prevent infectious diseases such as leptospirosis, melioidosis and other water borne diseases.

Members of the public were also advised to take care of their health by taking clean and hygienic food and drinking water apart from practicing good personal and environmental hygiene. -- Bernama