Apollo leads the way in humanitarian services braving the incessant Chennai rains

The hospital deploys over 300 doctors and 2000 nurses in Chennaito support the incoming patients during the recent Chennai deluge

Dubai, UAE, December 08th, 2015: Apollo Hospitals, Asia’s pioneering healthcare provider, has deployed over 300 doctors and 2000 nurses across hospitals in Chennai were deployed to support the incoming patients during the recent Chennai deluge. Battling destruction and inundation, the hospital has been dispatching boats to transport ICU patients and has also been providing free ambulance services to those in need.  Around 12 pregnant women reached out to the Apollo team via Facebook and they are being given medical assistance. The floods have left at least 325 people dead in Tamil Nadu which has left the city and the state crippled as it had the heaviest rainfall in the last 100 years.

“If you have relatives back in Chennai, then we would urge you to pass on this message to your relatives and friends. We have set a mechanism to attend to diabetics, babies and patients with critical needs on priority. The pharmacies have dispatched essential drugs for diabetics as well as baby food free of cost- At a recent rescue camp operating out of Loyola College with 2000 occupants; Apollo pharmacies have ensured adequate supply of essential medicines and drugs. 

Surgeries are going on regularly - including elective surgeries. With timely support from the Government, all essentials like power and Oxygen have been available for us without break. For those patients whose surgeries may need to be deferred, we are consulting with patients and their families who are also being accommodated in the hospital during their extended stay,” said Dr.K.Hariprasad, CEO, Apollo Hospitals.

“We have built in a quick response team to cater to worst-affected areas and high priority patients.  We have also started an ‘Ask Apollo’ service wherein doctors are providing free consultations to the citizens of Chennai over the telephone. International and outstation patients who arrived in the city amidst the deluge have been given accommodation at Apollo Guest Houses and provided with essential connectivity such as wifi and ISD call facilities to ensure their safety and well-being. Apollo is also attending to patients coming in from other hospitals that were evacuated due to rise in the water levels,” added Dr.Hariprasad.

Apollo Specialty Cancer Hospital at Teynampet is fully functional and is providing comprehensive care to cancer patients. The current occupancy is 203 with 18 CCU(Cardiac Care Unit) patients and also at present  the elective surgeries are currently on. The doctors, nurses and medical staff at the hospitals Old Mahabalipuram Road, Vanagaram, Greams Road and Apollo Specialty Hospitals Teynampet have been working relentlessly to provide medical aid to those left stranded by the deluge.

“A helpline service has been started and the Apollo team has been actively providing information on their social media pages. This social media educative information bulletin talks on preventive measures on how to avoid waterborne diseases and control their proliferation and information on debilitating diseases such as dengue and leptospirosis that are common in water stagnant areas. Corporate companies who are reaching out to our network hospitals for flu shots for their employees as a precautionary measure are being attended to by the hospital staff to ensure speedy administration before any epidemic breaks out,” added Dr.Hariprasad.                                                                               

“Apollo Hospitals had developed and set in place a disaster management plan which helped save many lives.  We remain committed to the people of Chennai during these difficult times till the city is restored to normalcy. As the threat of the floods still looms large, on ground staff at Apollo pharmacy have managed to keep more than 100 outlets functioning. With scarcity of food and water, the team has managed to distribute free food to thousands of people,” said Dr. N. Sathyabhama, Director of Medical Services and Quality, Southern Region at Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd.,

According to Skymet data, during the month of November, Chennai recorded a whopping 1218.6 mm of rain - three times its monthly rainfall. The normal rainfall figures for November stand at 407.4 mm. On the first day of December itself, Chennai recorded 374 mm. Besides government authorities and NGOs, other institutions have shown their solidarity to provide basic necessities apart from offering assistance in rescue operations. Most of the hospitals in the city even though submerged partially in water tried their best to offer their services to patients and those badly affected by the floods. The city saw a large outpouring of help from within and from different parts of India as rescue teams marched against time to save the lives of those stranded.