This Article is From Sep 13, 2014

Jammu & Kashmir Floods: Doctors at Srinagar Running Short of Medicines

Jammu & Kashmir Floods: Doctors at Srinagar Running Short of Medicines

People make their way through the floodwaters in Srinagar (Agence France-Presse)

Srinagar: "Do you have some insulin, I need it badly. My mother who is a diabetic has not had her insulin shot for six days and she badly needs some right now," a desperate looking man in his thirties asked Sashastra Seema Bal or SSB doctors at a camp in Srinagar.

A doctor replied in the negative and the man rushed back to his car and left.

However, after about half an hour, he returned to the medical center with several vials of insulin and handed it over to the doctor. "You people are doing a wonderful job, please take these vials and help the people who are in need," said the young man introducing himself as doctor Shafat.

He said it was today that the local volunteers rescued his family after his house remained inundated for several days.

"I just got the insulin supply from a nearby medical camp and after keeping with me what I required, I gave the remaining to the SSB people so that they can give it to the people like me who are in need of these medicines," he said.

After the deluge, the fear of epidemic is lurking in the minds of doctors here who are facing an "acute" shortage of medicines.

Senior doctors at the medical camps being run by different agencies say they are now running out of lifesaving medicines and want an immediate replenishment of the same.

Dr PM Kabui, the Medical Commandant of the SSB, said, "We are facing an acute shortage of medicines as we have run out of stock of several medicines like antibiotic for children."

For the past three days, SSB has been continuously running two medical camps across Srinagar and at one of its camps located at Hyderpora Bypass, Dr Kabui says he along with his team of four doctors have so far treated 1,500 patients.

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