Due to persistent rains, most of the districts of lower Kolhapur and Sangli are flooded. Medical camps have been set up to address issues related to waterborne diseases and epidemic threat as water is receding very slowly in these areas.

Many flood relief supports of the Indian Army, Coast Guards, Navy, Air Force along with NDRF team have been requisitioned in various districts to augment the efforts of the state government to evacuate locals and to reach out and distribute relief materials to flood victims from the past few days.

Kolhapur’s Shirol and Kurundwadtalukas have also become the focus of rescue and relief work, as floodwaters are receding. One helicopter of Training Command, IAF continues to fly towards flood relief operations in the region. Air force, Army, Coast Guards, Navy along with NDRF teams are working in close coordination to airlift necessary relief supplies in affected areas.Relief camps are providing food and water to victims and are also providing relief materials, medicines and medical care too.

Sanjay Asawale, deputy collector, is appointed in Shiroltaluka to observe of a possible epidemic outbreak in the region. Many volunteers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have set up health camps in a flood-affected district of the city. Ayesha Raut, head administration of Aster Adhar hospital, said that on the request of commissioner, they were the first team to provide medical aid to Aster Adhar at Dasarachowk relief camp and are closely working with ShambhajiRaje for prevention of epidemics, skin infection, viral fever and cold-cough ailments. With five ambulances and 40 volunteers, theyhave five medical rescue teams and have treated 18,000 people up till now. Their medical group has conducted several camps at various emergency situations and calamity and has treated and saved thousands of people. Also, last Monday, they have launched a helpline Kolhapur Calling and a lot of medical teams from Pune and Mumbai have treated 22,000 victims.

Also, Compassion 24, along with volunteers and local doctor, is conducting medical camps to assist patients in flood-affected villages in Kolhapur districts. Almost 50 doctors and healthcare professionals are volunteering for this mission with 200 youths.

MilindDhond of Compassion 24, said that they are procuring medicines at wholesale prices from pharmaceutical dealers and giving it for free at the medical camps. These medicines are sponsored by local doctors and a team of social volunteers called Xaviers91. After covering city relief camps, they have reached rural areas affected by flood where the occupants are laborers and orphans. They will also provide relief for a month on a volunteering basis after the floodwater recedes as part of post-flood medical aid.

DrHarshwardhanJagtap, a volunteer team member of NGO compassion 24 said that at least 2,000 patients were examined and medicines dispensed at one of the medical camps conducted at Takali village of Shiroltakula in Kolhapur district on Tuesday.

The medical camp was set up earlier this month by local doctors DrReshmaPawar, DrGeeta Pillai, Dr Arjun Adnaik, DrArchanaPowar along with MilindDhond, who heads NGO Compassion 24 Youth annex team of 200 youth volunteers.

Medical team volunteer Madura Hawal, said that till Monday, they have treated at least 5,000 patients at relief camp in the city in the past six days. On Tuesday, a camp was set up at Takali village where there was a high demand of medical aid. They are providing medical aid at Gurudatta sugar factory also. The number of patients enrolled at the camp is 2,000.

A medical aid volunteer Divya, also said that flood-affected residents generally show symptoms of weakness, anemia, joint pain, body pain, skin infection, allergies, gastric pain and headache. Few of themcomplain of urinary tract infection, lower backache, dental problems, deworming, neurological issues, thyroid and gynecological problems, ophthalmology problems and ENT problems.