High alert in Meerut hospitals

In the wake of ongoing rescue operation in Khatuali where the Utkal Express train got derailed claiming 23 lives on Saturday evening, the health department sounded high alert at the government hospitals in Meerut where the injured were rushed.

In addition, the hospital administration also ensured that the emergency wards and the critical units were vacant for the train passengers who were dropping in one by one.

“We at once sounded high alert and directed all the government hospitals to keep their emergency wards and critical units prepared for the injured train passengers,” said Dr Raj Kumar, chief medical officer of Meerut.

“In addition, we have also directed the private hospitals including Anand hospital, Sushila Jaswant Rai hospital, SD Global, Bhagyashri and others to be ready as well. Banwari Lal (65) from Madhya Pradesh, Divya Garg (30) of Shastri Nagar, Meerut, and one-year-old baby Gungun were first to reach the district hospital. They were followed by others and soon that wards got packed with injured passengers,” he said.

Dr Kirti Dubey, Dean of Medical College, Meerut, said all staff including those who were on leave were called back to attend to the injured train passengers. “Besides we are also ensuring that the record of each and every train passenger is being maintained in order to help their relatives in finding them,” he added. Dubey said the doctors were also instructed to stay at the hospital throughout the night.