The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued a set of emergency directives to strengthen healthcare response in flood-affected areas and ensure uninterrupted medical services for affected people.
The directives include forming medical teams in flood-hit areas, ensuring adequate stocks of essential medicines and anti-snake venom, taking special healthcare measures for pregnant women and children, and cancelling the leave of doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers if necessary to maintain emergency services.
A letter signed by Abu Hossain Md Moinul Ahsan, director of Hospitals and Clinics at the DGHS, was sent on Saturday to all divisional health directors, civil surgeons and upazila health and family planning officers.
The decisions were taken at an emergency virtual meeting held on Friday at 7:30pm, chaired by the DGHS director general, to assess preparedness for providing medical services in flood-affected areas.
According to the directives, focal persons must be appointed immediately at the upazila, district and divisional levels in flood-hit areas.
They will coordinate round the clock with local control rooms, the DGHS and other relevant organisations.
Authorities have been asked to form medical teams with adequate personnel in affected districts and upazilas to provide treatment to flood victims.
Health facilities have also been instructed to maintain adequate supplies of emergency medicines, oral rehydration salts (ORS), saline and water purification tablets to keep essential services running.
The DGHS has highlighted the risk of increased snakebite incidents during floods and instructed affected areas to ensure sufficient stocks of anti-snake venom. In case of shortages, supplies should be arranged through nearby health facilities, the directive said.
Special healthcare arrangements must be made for pregnant women and children, the DGHS said. Pregnant women may be shifted to government hospitals if required, with coordination from the family planning department.
The authorities have also been asked to regularly update the media through press briefings or press notes about healthcare activities during the flood situation.
An emergency press briefing on the steps taken so far has been scheduled for 12 July.
To maintain uninterrupted services, the presence of doctors, nurses, midwives and other hospital staff must be ensured in flood-affected districts and upazilas.
The DGHS said necessary administrative action, including cancellation of leave, should be taken if required to ensure emergency healthcare delivery during the crisis.
