PGI docs collect 1.5 lakh for Tamil Nadu cyclone victims

CHANDIGARH: The association of resident doctors (ARD) of the PGI have started collecting funds to help those affected by the recent Gaja cyclone in Tamil Nadu, which rendered many homeless and killed over 40 people.

"We have till date collected over Rs 1.5 lakh and the contributions are still pouring from both alumni and faculty too," said Dr Saravanan, former general secretary, ARD.

This year the ARD had volunteered to provide medical services to the Kerala flood victims. Also in the PGI, doctors had been volunteering for services in many disaster-hit areas, including the Leh flash floods, natural calamity in Uttarakhand and Nepal.

The residents and faculties who belong to Tamil Nadu in the PGI took the initiative to collect relief funds and coordinated with the Tamil Nadu Medical Students Association, which is actively and selflessly involved in the relief measures at the ground-level. "Everyone across the community has participated and they have been helping," said Dr Saravanan.

Saravanan added that they will take this effort as a positive start towards establishing a stable platform which will function promptly in responding to any natural calamity and disaster across the country in future. A WhatsApp group has been formed giving information about the hospital staff, including the medicos and the non-medicos, who have donated for the cause.

"We are giving the amount for relief fund in a phased manner. We will be involving not only in the relief measures but later in the rehabilitation process of restoring their livelihoods too like giving coconut seedlings to bring back their coconut farms to life, etc," said an ARD member.