Tamil Nadu Flood Response Supported by Americares India (2016-2019)| VHS Hospital Chennai

Background

The partnership between The Voluntary Health Services (VHS), Chennai and Americares India was formed during the difficult days following unprecedented rains and devastating floods that ravaged Chennai and its suburbs in November 2015. The communities served by VHS were severely affected resulting in loss of life, personal belongings and displacement from their homes. Americares understood the gravity of the situation and stepped in as a generous benefactor with emergency relief materials and essential medicines for the poor, needy and displaced.

Americares has now once again provided indispensable humanitarian aid to VHS in the form of medicines which has been distributed freely through 10 VHS-Mini Health Centres (MHCs) among the needy population. VHS immensely values the contributions made by Americares for benefitting our poor communities and is sincerely grateful to Americares for extending a caring hand to fulfil pressing needs.

Considering this, VHS Projects Division with the support of Americares India undertaken the key activities such as: consultation with the key stakeholders including government, resource mapping of the flood affected areas, identifying the local community organizations, prioritizing the flood affected areas and plans for distribution of relief cum health kits, distribution of relief cum health kits to the individuals and families with needed guidance and counselling, organizing health camps, distribution of medicines, networking with other organizations for providing other needed support, referral and linkages supported with systematic follow-up by VHS team.

VHS in partnership with Americares was able to quickly respond and ensured supply of drugs & relief cum health kits in the midst of most difficult situations by ensuring systematic logistics management.

Strategies

Consultation with key stakeholders, identification of flood affected areas, prioritizing the people affected by disaster and developed action plan.
Coordinated with Americares India and mobilized the drugs and relief cum health kits for providing to the individuals and families affected including vulnerable communities.
Identified the area specific key stakeholders / community organizations for providing and distributing the relief cum health kits to the needy by ensuring proper mechanisms and coordination.
Distributed the relief cum health kits to the people affected during the flood by conducting health camps, community level meetings and distributions at doorsteps by undertaking house to house visits supported with awareness education, promotion of behaviour change and provided needed guidance and counselling.
Depending on the ailment and diagnosis, Multi-Purpose Health Workers (MPHW) of MHCs prescribed and provided medicines at free of charge to the beneficiaries / needy. The patients were provided with free medicine, counselling, awareness education, follow-up education, and adherence of nutritional practices. The patients were also provided with systematic follow-up by health workers during the home visits and ensured comprehensive quality health care. Overall, more than 31,000 medicines covering various medicines were provided to the patients based on the ailments.
At the MHC, beneficiaries not only received diagnosis and free medicines, but also gained knowledge about the diseases, healthy living and how to prevent common ailments. The MPHWs motivated the patients to adhere to treatment and promoted health seeking behaviours.
In addition to providing relief measures on quick basis, VHS team has also encouraged the local organizations to continue the other relief services, facilitated for referral and linkages to avail other services, etc.
VHS health team and MHC team has undertaken the follow-up services to enable the affected individuals and families to lead a normal life by overcoming the difficulties and challenges faced during the disaster.
The Projects Division of VHS with the partnership and collaborative initiative of Americares India has undertaken quick response and speedy recovery efforts in the flood affected areas for ensuring comprehensive health care.

Key Achievements

With the support and involvement of Americares, the Projects Division of VHS has partnered with more than 30 local / neighbourhood organizations and capacitated on preparing to manage the disasters.
Medicines donated by Americares have been distributed to 10 MHCs and provided to the poor and low-income patients based on their medical condition / depending upon the ailment and diagnosis.
Conducted 10 health camps in the most flood affected areas in close coordination with key stakeholders including government, corporates, local bodies, and neighbourhood organizations. Extended health services to more than 5,000 population including awareness education, screening, demonstrations, provision of drugs, etc.
Distributed 750 relief cum health kits (worth of Rs. 7.5 lakhs) to the individuals and families in the most flood affected areas.
Overall, more than 31,000 medicines (worth of about Rs. 6 lakhs) covering various branded medicines were provided to the patients based on the ailments.
Experiences gained through the process of response to disaster management has been documented and disseminated.

Key Publications

Photos

Contact Us

Director - Projects
CHARTERED - Projects Division
The Voluntary Health Services (VHS)
Rajiv Gandhi Salai, TTTI Post,
Taramani, Chennai – 600 113.
Email ID: williams@vhsprojects.org

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