Amid reports of cold-related deaths of people living in makeshift shelters after the April earthquake, the Health Ministry is planning to deploy 27 doctors including three specialists to the affected districts.

A secretary-level meeting on Monday decided to send these teams to treat patients suffering from cold-related diseases.

The Department of Health Services said 24 doctors and three specialists from Bir Hospital will be deployed for over a week in districts including Sindhupalchok, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Dhading, Dolakha and Ramechhap.

According to Dr Pushpa Chaudhary, director general of the Health Department, the doctors, in coordination with the local public health office, will run health camps and conduct awareness programmes.

“We will send medicines along with the doctors to be distributed at the camps,” said Dr Chaudhary.

Although the ministry had decided to deploy doctors from Tuesday, the department failed to pick the personnel for the purpose. The ministry has also decided to establish disease surveillance units in the area.

In the past one week, over 20 cold-related deaths have been reported in the quake-hit districts. Doctors say the cold-related fatalities have cardiovascular and respiratory causes. Persons with chronic diseases remain more vulnerable.