Author: Swati Sucharita
Publication: The Times of India
Date: February 4, 2001
Dr Hasmukh Vora, a gastroenterologist
surgeon attached to V. S. General Hospital in Ahmedabad, has just returned
from a relief camp set up by the Ahmedabad-based Adani Trust in Bhuj and
Bhachau. Dr Vora, who led a medical team there, also has the Latur experience
behind him. He recounts his experiences at Bhachau, and is enthusiastic
about going back "in a couple of days" to buck up the team effort that
is on in quake-ravaged Gujarat.
Q. What was your experience at the
medical camp?
A. By the time I reached the main
camp at Bhuj on January 29, it was evident that medical services were adequately
in place. I was therefore advised by the relief administration to move
to Bhachau instead, which was still crying for medical attention and specialists.
I split our medical team in three different directions - to villages located
on the Gandhidham, Rapar and Bhuj highways and went to Bhachau.
Q. What were the basic facilities
lacking at the camp?
A. At Bhachau, we found that besides
the huge casualties, most of the injured had been given primary treatment
or first-aid. But other requirements - ensuring an aseptic environment,
(absolutely essential for conducting surgeries), X-rays, intensive care,
post-operative facilities and a good communications network - were lacking.
One thing, of course, we could do without, but which we had plenty of was
the constant strong tremors and aftershocks which continued the first few
days. (laughs)
Q. What was your foremost concern?
A. We had to shift some of the
more serious patients to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and Bhuj first.
These were the ones requiring spinal surgeries, plating, post-operative
and intensive care, as also the aged and those with open fractures. I must
have spent three hours persuading them to be shifted to better medical
facilities.
Q. Why?
A. They were so traumatised; there
was hardly anyone who had not suffered a personal loss. Very few had any
surviving relatives to even accompany them! Besides, the thought that they
did not have a paisa back home made them think twice before seeking medical
help. They took hours to realise that this medical attention would not
cost them anything, for it was entirely funded by the Adani Trust.
Q. How serious is the threat of
epidemics?
A. We heard of some instances of
gastroenteritis when we are at Bhachau. But more serious is the threat
of severe forms of tetanus (where the patient has a 50 per cent mortality
rate) and septicemia severe septic wounds. The decomposition of dead bodies
and open defecation by so many people has got grim consequences. The first
priority of relief workers has to be makeshift toilets.
Q. Did the patient survive?
A. He was fine when I left the
camp.
Q. How did you keep up the morale
of your team?
A. The villagers and survivors
did a lot to boost the often-sagging morale. They volunteered in whatever
way possible, either by distributing relief material or helping the medical
teams. There was absolutely no greed. People who were leaving actually
returned blankets and other usable relief material at the camp, asking
us to lend them to needier persons. There was a lot of grit to survive.
Both physically and emotionally, the Kutchis are definitely a spirited
lot.
Q. How does the situation compare
with the Latur quake?
A. It was much, much worse. One
must remember that the intensity was much greater and the casualties, higher.
There was a little girl of about three years, who had to have three fingers
amputated. The psycho-trauma suffered by people here was so intensely felt
by a doctor from our team that he just couldn't speak for a whole day;
we had to send him back. Personally, I switched off my mobile to screen
any calls from my family.
Q. How would you evaluate the relief
coordination?
A. Most heartening was that everyone
was working for a common humanitarian cause. If our camp lacked anything,
the gap was filled in either by NGOs, government organisations or even
a corporate body. I am already feeling the pull to go back to the camp.
