Health Minister Veena George has directed Director of Women and Child Development Haritha V. Kumar to put up a formal complaint with the police on the fake campaign unleashed on the social media by some that children orphaned in the Wayanad landslides would be available for foster care and that even private hospitals were offering to foster them.
Ms. George directed that legal measures be taken against those spreading these rumours on social media and other fora. She said that inquiry should be conducted on the intention of those spreading these rumours and their other activities and connections.
Review meeting
At a review meeting held on Sunday, it was directed that all activities in relief camps be organised as per the checklist. The Minister directed that an enumeration of children who lost at least one parent in the disaster be conducted. Children have been ensured vaccination and pregnant women have been provided the service of gynaecologists. Arrangements have also been made for conducting ultrasound scans for pregnant women who require it.
Special attention is being paid to those in relief camps who have developed fever. Health workers have been directed to take up all preventive and control measures as per the Health department’s protocols if any rescue/relief worker shows symptoms of fever.
It was pointed out at the meeting that medicines for lifestyle diseases have been arranged at the relief camps for those who require them. Psycho-social support was provided to 640 persons and initiatives for the mental well-being of children in camps have also been launched.
49 DNA samples
The Health department has started collecting DNA samples from the survivors and relatives of those missing or who lost their lives in the disaster, so that the bodies and body parts recovered from various sites can be identified using genetic markers. A total of 49 DNA samples were collected on Sunday, by strictly observing the mental health protocols.
There are 149 ambulances in service in the locality to transport bodies/remains to hospitals and back. An additional 129 freezers have been arranged by the Health department. So far, 221 bodies and 166 body parts have been recovered from the disaster sites. Including the body parts, 380 post-mortem examinations have been done by forensic surgeons.
The review meeting was attended by the Additional Chief Secretary (Health), NHM State Mission Director, the Director of Health Services, and senior Health officials of the State and districts.
