As the train chugged out of CST station at 1.30 pm on Sunday carrying a precious cargo — clothes and life-saving medicines for flood victims in Bihar, Dr Ravikant Singh of Doctors for You, an NGO, could not help but wonder if the aid would reach the right people.
Dr Singh’s worries are not baseless. While the train is heading for Purnia, Singh’s contact in Khagariya, waiting for the supplies. “This is typical. The authorities refused to let the supplies be brought to Khagariya due to some bureaucratic hurdle and insisted on sending them to Purnia,” said Dr Sanjeev Kumar, a doctor based in Patna who has been at the Khagariya relief camp for the past five days, tending to 8,000 people who have been temporarily put up there.
Supplies are not the main concern. “The government has put up 200 medical camps. But these camps either lack doctors or medicines,” said Dr Singh, who has started a campaign urging doctors to donate a “Week for the nation”. “We have requested for permission to send teams of doctors from Doctors for You to the affected areas. But the permission is yet to be granted,” said Dr Singh.
Agreed Dr Kumar, president (Bihar), Doctors for You, speaking to DNA from Khagariya: “The need of the hour is a team of doctors equipped to deal with rescued victims. There are hundreds of pregnant women here, but no female gynaecologists.”
On Saturday, a pregnant patient bleeding profusely, was admitted to Sadar Hospital in Sehrasa. The hospital’s labour ward, however, was full. And to make matters worse, there were no gynaecologists. “The lady delivered in the hospital corridor,” said Dr Kumar.
Then there are hundreds of children, who have been rescued and brought to relief camps. “They have no idea about their family’s whereabouts and are crying continuously,” said Dr Akshay Bhalla, another doctor involved in relief work.
The biggest fear right now is diarrhoea, with over 40 deaths reported due to it. “Even a team of 50 doctors from various government hospitals per week will help,” said Dr Kumar.
