Guwahati: Assam’s swift healthcare response prevented disease outbreaks after the upper Assam floods, health minister Ashok Singhal said, warning of measles risks from Nagaland.“Nagaland is close to Sivasagar, and as per the information available to me, measles cases have been reported there. People in Assam’s neighbouring areas need to remain vigilant to prevent the infection from spreading, especially since movement of people between the two states continues through Sonari (in flood-hit Charaideo district),” Singhal told the media reporters on Tuesday.The state began deploying doctors from outside the affected areas, including medical colleges, on July 21, two days after flash floods struck. “Assam has not witnessed a pandemic, and our concerns are gradually easing,” said Singhal.Skin diseases have, however, been reported in flood-hit areas. The health department is preparing to provide mental health counselling to affected people.Measures have also been taken to control vector-borne diseases amid concerns over increased mosquito breeding. “A 200-member team is engaged in fogging in the flood-affected areas,” Singhal said.The department’s preventive measures focus on safe drinking water, sanitation, cleanliness, disease surveillance and vector control.“So far, 2,06,442 people have received free medical treatment and medicines through 3,103 medical camps in flood-affected areas,” Singhal informed. On Aug 10, 116 medical teams treated 2,736 patients at 60 camps.Singhal said safe drinking water remained a major challenge. The health and public health engineering departments tested 511 water samples at IDSP laboratories. “Contaminated water sources were disinfected and subsequently retested,” Singhal said.The health department, veterinary department and municipalities also disposed of 359 livestock carcasses under prescribed safety protocols to prevent environmental and water contamination and reduce infection risks, officials said.
