ZCZC
BSS-29
BDRCS-FLOOD-OPERATIONS
Red Crescent Society working to ensure safety of flood victims
DHAKA, Aug 24, 2020 (BSS) – Bangladesh Red Crescent Society is working to ensure the health safety of the flood affected people and also to ensure safe water in all the districts of the flood-hit northern region.
Besides, the organization has continued to distribute food packages (7.5 kg of rice, 1 kg of pulses, 1 liter of oil, 1 kg of sugar, 1 kg of salt and half kg of semolina in each package) to the affected helpless and poor families in the flood-hit districts, said a press release.
According to the BDRCS, food packages will be provided to some 40,000 affected families in five flood-hit districts (Sirajganj, Tangail, Kurigram, Jamalpur and Sunamganj) with the help of Grameenphone.
In the first phase, distribution of 12,000 food packages has been completed. Bangladesh Red Crescent Society plans to start distributing food packages to the remaining 28,000 families from August 26, 2020.
According to the society, the activities will be carried out under the direct supervision of the District Red Crescent Unit in collaboration with the National Headquarters of the Society. The Red Crescent’s medical team is also working to repair and disinfect submerged tube wells in flood-hit districts and provide free medical care.
Md. Mijanur Rahman, Director of DRM Department, BDRCS said the society has started repairing and disinfecting 600 tube wells submerged in the flood water in the first phase to ensure safe drinking water in the six worst-hit districts (Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura, Sirajganj, Tangail and Jamalpur).
The Society’s trained volunteers are implementing this work in collaboration with local mechanics. He said the move would play an important role in meeting the safe water needs of the people in the affected areas.
Mijanur added that work is underway to install 180 new latrines to facilitate the drainage system of the affected people while these activities will be further enhanced later.
According to the health department of the society, the medical team of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has started medical activities in the affected areas to ensure post-flood health services to the people of the flood-hit areas.
Five medical teams have been treating patients in Lalmonirhat, Sirajganj, Gaibandha, Sunamganj and Tangail districts since August 14. Each team consists of a physician, a paramedic and two Red Crescent trained volunteers.
The release said through each medical team, prescriptions and free essential medicines are being provided to 200 patients every day from 9 am to 5 pm. The concerned department also said that the number of medical teams may increase further considering the situation.
Secretary General of the Society Md. Feroz Salah Uddin said, “Bangladesh Red Crescent Society is working to ensure medical assistance and drainage system including food aid to the flood victims. Apart from the floods, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has also continued its humanitarian assistance to the helpless people affected by the Novel Coronavirus pandemic.
BSS/PR/GM/BR/1837 HRS