By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Anambra State government has kicked off rescue mission to the flood-affected communities in the state.

Making the declaration after his visit to Mmiata-Anam Community where he gave out medical supplies to Rex Universordium Mission Hospital, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr Vincent Okpala, said the Ministry has set up a Rapid Response Team (RRT) in the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.

According to him, his team is made up of the Director Public Health/Disease Control, Hospital Administrator, Director Medical Services, State Epidemiologist and Disease Surveillance, Notification Officers.

He explained that the affected communities also have their own Rapid Response Teams trained by the state ministry of health.

According to Okpala, “The plan was also to go to Umuenwelum and a few places in order to assess, evaluate for ourselves what is going on to know how to assist them.

“At the hospital, we learnt that potable water is a big concern and we have made arrangements in that regard.

“With this year’s flooding, we are noticing that it is actually bigger than the one of last year and some are arguing that it is approaching like that of the 2012 flood disaster in the state.

“At the ministerial level, what we actually try to do is to have a standardised response to events like this and it can be grouped into what we call emergencies.

“So, this kind of response is not just a ministerial response, it is a multi-ministerial effort, where you have the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and others responding together.”

The Commissioner expressed his gratitude to the Anambra State Government for giving his Ministry the support and the opportunity to carry out the exercise.

While saying that the state has 17 holding centres, he stressed that all the centres will receive medical assistance.

He gave assurance that the RRT would be at the forefront of the ministry’s response even while taking responsibility for the provision of other necessary things.

The Commissioner added that “people we met might be broken down but their spirit is not broken and our message to them is that we are in this together and we will get out of the storm together.”

He hailed the hospital management and members of staff for staying back in order to save the lives of the people living in the community.

In his speech, the Chief Medical Director, Rex Universordium Hospital, Rev. Sr. Dr Sapientia Ameka, thanked the State Government for its timely interventions to the community as well its acceptance to upgrade the hospital.