The September 2014 flood in Jammu and Kashmir region had completely devastated the life in 8 districts of Kashmir and 3 districts of Jammu. Approximately 60 lakh people were directly affected and many more were indirectly affected. This was the first urban flood which had completely paralyzed the capital of a state, disrupting not only administration but also the spinal cord of state health system.
On 13th September 2014, Doctors For You had dispatched an assessment team followed by three mobile medical teams. DFY was one of the early responders to intervene and extend the medical support to the flood victims. In the acute phase, DFY ensured the continuation of the essential health services for six districts of Kashmir region by providing preventive and curative health services.
DFY had received overwhelming support especially from individuals and organizations. DFY-USA chapter was one among the important contributors who helped in organizing medical health camps and school activity (mass de-worming and health education talk). DFY had also partnered with local and national NGOs for better reach to the far flung areas. The DFY partners in Kashmir are: Islamic Relief, IGSSS, Hope foundation, Hope for Humanity and Handicap International.
Milestones Achieved
- Overall DFY had served in 75 different locations of 6 districts namely Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Bandipora, Baramulla and Kulgam. Till now DFY has served over 21,000 people who were either displaced or affected by the flood.
- Health camps: DFY had organized health camps in form of static camps and Mobile Medical Unit (MMU). DFY had conducted 110 Medical camps in 70 different locations in both urban and rural areas and served 10800 people. In addition DFY had partnered with five other NGOs and supported them with medicines and doctors.
- Health education camp and De-worming: DFY had reached 39 schools and 17 Anganwadi Center for health talk and served over 4904 individuals through its de-worming campaign to prevent the worm infestation among the children. Currently, DFY has also started vitamin A distribution with this programme.
- Adolescent health and hygiene promotion: DFY had given health talk for 214 adolescent females and school teachers.
- IEC activity (WASH promotion): During the early intervention, DFY had distributed 24400 chlorine tablets and IEC material (WASH) in 42 locations and reached over 6120 individuals.
- Maternal and Child health care: DFY had distributed delivery kits and nutritional supplements in 7 of the remote villages, where the hospitals/PMCs/SCs are partially or completely damaged. DFY has also organized ANC checkup in Gundi-Nowgam, Sumbal, Bandipora.
- Capacity Building Programme: DFY is conducting a state-wide capacity building programme for health workers on ‘public health in emergency’ in partnership with National Health Mission (NHM). The programme has been designed in three phases and in first phase DFY had trained 70 state level trainers in Srinagar and Jammu for all the three region. In the second phase DFY had conducted District level TOT in Ladakh region -Leh and Kargil District; Kashmir region- Kulgam, Shopian, Baramulla, Srinagar, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Ananthnag and Budgam . In third phase, DFY targets to train 12000 ASHAs through the 800 trainers trained in District level ToT and 70 trainers trained in State level ToT.
- Health facility support: DFY had supported 5 health facilities- 3 in Pulwama, 1 in Baramulla and 1 in Bandipora. DFY is also involved in health facility assessment for 75 flood affected health facilities (CHCs, PHCs and SCs).
- Mobile Medical Unit: DFY is supporting its partner organization Islamic Relief in operating MMUs in 47 flood affected villages of Bandipora and Baramulla district.
- Capacity building: DFY is undertaking 30 District level ToT and will conduct 50 more ASHA training to support the existing health facility.
- Vitamin A programme: DFY is involved in Vitamin A distribution in 6 districts of Kashmir region. This programme is implemented in coordination with ICDS and Health Department.
- Mass de-worming distribution: DFY is continuing its de-worming programme in all the six districts.
- Health facility Assessment and Support: DFY is supporting 75 flood affected Health centres to become functional and re-strengthen to serve the community during the extreme winter. DFY would be providing medicine, and equipment support with special focus on maternal and child health care services.