Damage to health centres in Kodagu floods estimated at Rs 5.47 crore

BENGALURU: The state health department suffered damages worth Rs 5.47 crore in Kodagu floods as 67 public health institutions have been partially damaged. Kodagu has 196 sub-centres, 30 primary health centres, seven community health centres and two taluk hospitals. 67 centres suffered damages in their roof or electrical wiring.

Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said, “Our Chief Engineer has assessed the damage and given an estimate of `547 lakh. We can’t say by when the repairs can be completed at this point. However, our doctors, accredited social health activists (ASHAs) and staff nurses are reporting to work as usual. Sub-centres and primary health centres are first line of defence against any disease outbreak and mother and child care. When rescue operations were on, we had healthcare being provided at ganji kendras.”

After medical camps and immediate relief efforts wee provided to prevent disease outbreak after the floods, the focus has shifted to taking stock of long-term damage to health infrastructure and continuing operations from there.

Thankfully, none of the health centres have been cut off even as the district suffered large-scale devastation of its roads. “Some of the health centres that have been damaged are in Gonikoppal, Birunani, Kanagala and Kuppa. There are no centres that have completely broken down. Totally, 67 buildings need to be repaired. All are accessible but the roof, electrical wiring, walls and windows have been damaged. We are functioning from adjacent buildings but all centres are accessible,” said Kodagu District Health Officer Rajesh Surgihalli.

However, out of the 52 specialists required, there are only 25 working. Out of 33 required general duty medical officers, only 26 are present and out of the 67 required staff nurses, just 58 are working. The CM had requested Rs 2,000 crore relief fund from the Centre and had estimated damages worth Rs 3,000 crore.