Idukki: Government doctors and health workers are facing a major challenge in dealing with monsoon-related diseases in Idukki district.

That is because of a shortage of vehicles, for transporting medicines from the district drug warehouse, and for conducting field visits.

Out of the 47 vehicles with the health department in the district, 32 cannot hit the road as their permits have expired after 15 years of prescribed use. A special permission from the government is needed to operate them.

According to district functionaries of the Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA), there is a shortage of medicines for even fever, diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure in most of the government hospitals and health centres in Idukki.

Two trucks meant for transporting medicines from the warehouse near Painavu were taken off the road recently, said health workers and government doctors.

Moreover, field works, medical camps, and awareness campaigns that are usually conducted to prevent outbreaks of monsoon-related illnesses have been hit by the vehicle shortage.

Several cases of dengue fever were reported in Thodupuzha recently.

“As cases of fever are on the rise, this is a crucial time for taking our services to far-off regions like plantation areas and tribal hamlets; an immediate arrangement needs to be adopted in this regard. We have been facing this issue for the past two months; some medicos who reach the DMO's office in Painavu for conferences are carrying medicines in their cars to the hospitals,” KGMOA district secretary Evin Abraham said.

District medical officer Manoj L said two replacement trucks have reached Idukki for the supply of medicines -- they would be operational Saturday onwards.

"However, for the remaining vehicles that have crossed the prescribed period of use as per the new motor vehicle norms of the Union government, either special permission has to be granted for which we have applied or these vehicles need to be replaced," the DMO said.