THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The health department has issued an alert in the wake of the cyclone threat in the state. All major hospitals have been told to be prepared to meet mass casualty in case of any emergency.
The hospitals have been asked to keep the emergency wings of their institutions equipped with medicines and other facilities. All doctors should be kept ready for on-call duty, health minister K K Shailaja said in a directive to the medical education director and the director of health services.
In all the high-risk seven districts facing the cyclone threat, rapid response teams have been asked to be on stand-by for the field-level activities. The response teams have been asked to concentrate more on the coastal areas and hilly areas, where the people will have to be evacuated if there is any emergency.
If needed medical camps should be set up in relief camps for which the doctors and para medical staff should be deputed from the nearby primary health centres or community health care centres, the directive said.
All hospitals have been asked to maintain strict Covid-19 protocols while carrying out the relief works and while providing treatment.
The health minister said the service of ambulances have been ensured in all the seven districts and if needed more ambulances will be brought in.
Since there are reports that the cyclone will be accompanied by heavy rains, threat of communicable diseases looms large, hence precautions will have to be taken to prevent the spread of diseases too, said the minister.