THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The City Corporation has set up a special counter on Sunday for the protection of volunteers, who are actively participating in the clean-up drives. The counter established at the Corporation’s main office will be functional from 10 am to 7 pm and will provide preventive medication.
Though the people in the state capital did not see the worst of the floods, it did not stop them from rushing to the aid of the flood affected. To help the victims by carrying out the clean-up activity in their homes, many volunteers are coming forward to participate in the drive that is being conducted by various organisations. About 450 workers with the Corporation volunteered to clean houses in Ranni and Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district.
“The idea to set up such a counter for the volunteers was planned after an enquiry from a church head asking for vaccinations being provided for the volunteers’ safety,” said Vinod, junior health inspector.
The Corporation volunteers cleaned around 360 houses in the three-day clean-up programme. During this drive, a few volunteers sustained minor injuries which were handled by the medical staff who were part of the team.
The team that visited Ranni last week were provided with preventive medicines before their journey. Now the counter is being opened for all the volunteers who will be leaving the city to clean the flood-affected areas as part of any organisation.
“The outbreak of leptospirosis is a major threat. So the volunteers will be provided Doxycycline - a medicine against leptospirosis, and tetanus vaccine - to prevent tetanus. It would be difficult for the medical staff at various camps to provide vaccination for the volunteers as they are already taking care of the victims,” said Chinchu Mol R S, staff nurse.
The health inspectors (HI) who were part of the cleaning drive conducted in Ranni, will share their experience in the orientation class which is also being conducted for the volunteers. In the training sessions the HI will provide precautionary steps to be followed during the drive.
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