A total of 140 medical teams are providing medical treatment to flood-hit people in Sylhet district, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Monday. The health department, he said, is ready to provide medical assistance to the flood victims as the water has started receding, he told in a meeting with the health officials at the conference room of Sylhet Osmani Medical College and Hospital. He also claimed that no death has been reported due to lack of medical treatment or for shortage of food in the district. This has been a great achievement, he noted. Also read: Receding flood waters reveal disastrous damage in Sylhet The government has taken steps to solve the problems faced by the community clinics, health centres and hospitals in the flood-hit areas, he said. Flood water entered the ground floor of Osmani Medical College and Hospital on June 18. Medical activity of the hospital has been hampered badly due to the flood, said the minister. The radiotherapy, CT scan and MRI machines went out of order forcing the authorities concerned to suspend the operation. The power supply also remained suspended for sometimes at the hospital as the flood water also entered into the generator room. But the authorities concerned restored the power supply instantly in an alternative way, said Maleque. He assured of taking necessary steps to prevent waterlogging. Also read: Flood situation worsens in parts of Sylhet The minister also visited the flood-hit areas in Sunamganj by a helicopter. He distributed relief materials among 7,000 people in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts.

Health Minister Zahid Malek said on Sunday that 4,000 medical teams of the Health Services Division are ready to provide services in 11 flood-hit districts of the country, especially the worst-hit Sylhet andSunamganj. Leaves for doctors, nurses and health workers at all levels in the Sylhet region have been canceled, said the minister at a hotel in the capital. Despite the unfavorable environment, water purification tablets, saline, medicines and food are being sent to these districts as much as possible. Read: Army puts stranded DU students on a bus headed home At present, 200 teams have been formed in Sylhet region, he added. The health minister said several districts, including Sylhet, have been hit by massive floods. “Especially the situation in Sylhet and Sunamganj are the worst-hit areas. For this, a control room has been set up at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka as well as locally.” Flood situation in Sylhet started turning into a terrible disaster from Thursday afternoon as almost all the upazilas and municipal areas went under water.