Workers employed with local bodies, ranging from Krishnagiri, Hosur, Tirunelveli and Tiruchi to faraway Ramanathapuram district, who have been staying at J.J Indoor Stadium in Kilpauk, were provided a health check-up by a team of doctors who visited them on Sunday.
The Hindu had reported on Sunday that the workers were unhappy and faced medical neglect as many of them suffered burns and cuts. Several fell sick too during their work in the city. They were among the many workers who had come from the neighbouring districts to help clean up the city after the floods.
Ramasamy, an electrician from Krishnagiri who had suffered burn injuries on his arms after handling and spraying bleaching powder in the city, said he was prescribed ointments and medicines for his general health by doctors during the camp. A team of five doctors, who were accompanied by two pharmacists, an Urban Health Nurse and the zonal health and medical officers, were present at the camp.
An officer said they also checked the staff for skin infections and other ailments they complained of. “We also gave them ‘Nilavembu Kudineer’ and a course of antibiotic tablets,” she said. While the workers had earlier complained that they had not got Tetanus shots, they were all administered injections during the special medical camp.
Of the 576 workers in the camp, 276 returned to their hometowns on Sunday and the rest will leave in batches over the next week.
On Sunday morning, Corporation Commissioner Vikram Kapur and State Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan visited the camp and spoke to the workers.
They were also given protective gear that included gloves, boots and face masks apart from Rs.2,000 each from the Chennai Corporation for their flood-relief work in the last few days.
