Here comes Boat Clinic to reach the flood hit
Bhaswati Goswami
The Boat Clinic keeps hopes sailing silently to the rescue of flood affected people in Assam
A boat in deed saved hopes of hundreds of people floating in the flood hit Dhemaji district. The boat that housed a clinic was the ample aid to save them as the water level of the mighty Brahmaputra suddenly disrupted the quietness of the sandbars. The people there had hardly way at hand to escape the wrath of the riverwaters.
Run by Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (CNES), the Boat Clinic that keeps the hopes sailing silently came to their rescue with relentless help from a Jonai based organization and the district administration.
Acting on a slew of a slew of suggestions, a ten member team left for the sandbars much to the respite of many people who were remaining trapped in the flood wave.
During the operation, the boat clinic saved the lives of 518 people in Badalpur Barman, Kangkan, Lamba Missing, LambaMillon, Apsara and ChengajanKoibatra sandbars.
As it reached Majorbari Ghat at 5.30 in the evening, the rescued people were shifted to Somkong high School for further care.
During the first wave of flood in Lakhimpur district the boat clinic in close association with District conducted health cum relief camps in worse affected areas and treated 1904 patients in 23 camps.
Apart from regular scheduled health camps, C-NES’ Boat Clinics involved in emergency situations such as rescue operation, relief distribution, treatment and extending cooperation to the administration to help the needy people in the sandbars if need be.
As many as 15 Boat Clinic units put in their best efforts while providing health care services to the marooned people in the sandbars.
Many units were unable to provide services immediately during floods especially in Upper Assam as the Brahmaputra was more turbulent.
Post floods is very crucial as diseases become more prevalent especially water borne diseases. All units have been continuously provided health care services, tirelessly, till date.
Through its regular awareness generation programmes, the boat Clinic teams always stress preventive measures to be taken for protection against communicable or non communicable diseases.
Bhaswati Goswami works for the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (http://www.c-nes.org)
