Odisha’s health department has cancelled officials’ leave and activated state and district control rooms as the state prepares for a possible cyclone and reports of flooding in vulnerable areas. The emergency measures are intended to keep medical services running, protect relief-centre residents and limit the risk of disease outbreaks.
The instructions were issued during a preparedness review chaired by health department principal secretary-cum-commissioner Aswathy S at Kharabela Bhavan. Senior officials and chief district medical and public health officers from affected districts joined the meeting virtually.
District health authorities have been directed to maintain adequate stocks of essential medicines, medical supplies, halogen tablets and bleaching powder. The department has also ordered officials to keep Rapid Response Teams and Mobile Health Units ready to deliver healthcare in remote and difficult-to-access areas.
The health department said disease surveillance would be intensified for diarrhoea, cholera, malaria, dengue and other water- and vector-borne illnesses. Officials have been asked to ensure prompt treatment if cases are detected, particularly as flooding and unsafe water can disrupt sanitation and increase exposure to infection.
Relief centres have been identified as a specific priority. Authorities have been instructed to provide safe drinking water, sanitation and basic medical care at these facilities. The department also directed officials to pay particular attention to pregnant women, children and elderly residents, who may face greater difficulty accessing healthcare during severe weather and displacement.
During the review, district officials briefed the department on the prevailing flood situation and the steps being taken to maintain public health services. The directions cover both emergency preparedness and continuity of routine medical support, including access for communities in remote locations.
The activation of control rooms at state and district levels is designed to allow officials to monitor conditions continuously and coordinate responses across administrative jurisdictions. The health department has also stressed coordination with other departments, reflecting the need to link healthcare operations with relief, water supply, sanitation and local emergency management.
The measures come as Odisha monitors the possibility of a cyclone affecting the state. The department said it was fully prepared to address health-related challenges arising from the situation, while district authorities remain responsible for implementing the instructions on supplies, surveillance, response teams and relief-centre services.
