GUWAHATI, Aug 19 - The Dhemaji Boat Clinic rescued more than 500 residents of a few river islands (chaporis) who were trapped in their homes following the sudden rise of water level in the Lali, a tributary of the Brahmaputra.
On August 11, a 10-member team of the Boat Clinic, supported by a Jonai-based organisation, Mising Mimag Kebang (MMK) and the local authorities after consulting the C-NES� Programme Management Unit at Guwahati and informing the Joint Director, Dhemaji and District Programme Manager, National Health Mission, went to the following chaporis: Badalpur Barman, Kangkan, Lamba Mising, Lamba Millon, Apsara and Chengajan Koibatra and began the operation, rescuing 518 people before dusk. The flood-hit people were shifted to Somkong High School for further care. Again during the first wave of floods in Lakhimpur district, the Lakhimpur Boat Clinic in association with the district administration, DHS and DDMA conducted health-cum-relief camps in the worse-affected areas and treated 1904 patients in 23 camps. This was stated in a press release.
Like in earlier years, the 15 Boat Clinic units put in their best efforts while providing health care services to the marooned people in the river islands or in the makeshift camps initiated by the district administration. Many units were unable to provide services immediately during floods, especially in Upper Assam as the Brahmaputra is more turbulent here and the district administrations put a ban on ferry movement till the river subsided to safe levels. The post-flood situation is very crucial as diseases become more prevalent, especially the water-borne diseases. All units have been continuously providing health care services, tirelessly, till date.
