Free medical check-ups for Johor flood victims

The Star Wednesday, 11/12/2013 Free medical check-ups for Johor flood victims JOHOR BARU: The Johor government has assured flood victims that they will continue to receive medical attention. Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the state would conduct follow-up medical examinations for victims who had returned to their respective homes. “We will provide free medical tests as some of them may have been exposed to infectious diseases carried by other victims. “We are also concerned that some could have even accidentally consumed the muddy water caused by the flood which can badly affect their health,” he told reporters after launching the state level TB, Diabetes and Aids Day at Kolej Sains Kesihatan Bersekutu in Kempas here yesterday. Ayub said when the victims were evacuated to relief centres, medical agencies had performed a series of tests to check for infectious diseases such as fever, skin infection, conjunctivitis, typhoid and dengue. “Now that most victims have returned home, we need to conduct follow-up tests to ensure that they are in good health before going back to their daily lives” he added. Ayub said that to date, there were no fatalities reported due to the flood situation in the state. State Health Director Dr Mohd Khairi Yakub said a total of 139 health and medical personnel were on duty at flood relief centres across the state during the past week. “Some 430 victims were diagnosed with infectious diseases, and 534 by non-infectious diseases,” he said. He said 230 victims also suffered from respiratory diseases, 155 from fever, 28 with skin infections, 12 with diarrhoea, two with chicken pox and one with conjunctivitis.