People clean their houses after the flood in Chengannur in Kerala. (Express Photo by Vignesh Krishnamoorthy/File) People clean their houses after the flood in Chengannur in Kerala. (Express Photo by Vignesh Krishnamoorthy/File)

Maharashtra is keen on adopting some of Kerala’s flood-affected villages, State Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan has said. “We will take stock of the money collected towards the Kerala relief fund and then shortlist some of the flood-affected villages towards their rehabilitation,” Mahajan said.

The minister took a team of 100 doctors from Sassoon General Hospital and J J hospital in Pune to Kerala’s three affected districts. “We have assured the health authorities of supply of medicines and even set aside a list of experts, including epidemiologists and microbiologists, considering there will be rise in cases of leptospirosis and dengue fever,” Mahajan said. The minister, however, said a decision will be taken towards adopting some of the villages in Kerala’s affected districts and spending the relief money towards rehabilitation.

State Director of Health Dr Sanjeev Kamble said the Kerala authorities had made inquiries about fogging machines. Dr Pradeep Awate, an epidemiologist from the state who had visited Kerala as part of a relief work team, said they would be sending 20 fogging machines to Kerala.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was keen on adopting areas on similar lines when Gujarat villages were adopted after the Bhuj earthquake in 2001. The Manipal Centre for Virus Research is focusing on molecular tests towards speedy diagnosis of leptospirosis and the Kerala health authorities have stepped up operations and initiated preventive treatment.

When contacted, Dr G Arun Kumar, Director, Manipal Centre for Virus Research, said they were providing molecular diagnosis at government-run laboratories and medical colleges in Kerala. “Molecular diagnosis directly helps detect bacterial DNA and hence, at our centre, we are trying to strengthen the services at government labs,” he said.

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