Medical aid for quake relief

A team of Red Cross volunteers from Germany, Finland, Belgium and the United States has put up tents in the quake stricken area of Bhuj, to set up a make-shift hospital that will cater to the needs of the injured victims. This temporary hospital may be the largest field hospital ever run by the Red Cross. The hospital will have 310 beds and will aim at treating about 2000 patients who walk in an injured condition in a day. Last Friday's earthquake that left more than 20,000 people injured in Gujarat, also destroyed the civilian hospital in Bhuj leaving only make-shift arrangements where surgeries are being performed and patients' injuries tended to. The Red Cross hospital will have four operating rooms, a maternity ward and an outpatient clinic, and a team of doctors and nurses who will be accommodated in nearby tents. Several non-governmental organisations (NGO's) have supplemented the efforts of the medical community in relief operations. With support from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, an NGO – Action Aid India, will set up centres for destitute women, children, the disabled and old people. Besides providing food and shelter, these centres will also provide counselling services by trained professionals. Other NGO's like CRY, HelpAge India etc. are also involved in relief work. The Artificial Limbs Corporation of India (ALIMCO) has already sent aids and appliances to the affected areas. The artificial limbs and other assistive devices will be provided to the needy by a team of experts. Relief efforts are also being supplemented by international aid. Britain's leading charitable organisations like 'Save the children' and 'British Red Cross' have made an appeal to the nation to provide relief materials for the quake victims. The earthquake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale was the worst one to hit India in the last 50 years. Though relief is pouring in from all quarters, the situation may take a long time to crawl back to normalcy.

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