The Public Health Department has stepped up vigil against waterborne diseases in the district as the North East Monsoon has begun to abate. Although there is no major outbreak of epidemic this season, health officials are not lowering their guard just yet. S. Somasundaram, Deputy Director of Health Services told The Hindu here on Sunday that the district administration had deputed ten Sub-Collectors to focus exclusively on dengue prevention activities. They are coordinating with the Block Development Officers, Block Medical Officers and the Executive Officers of Town Panchayats besides heads of various local bodies.
Further, a district-level team comprising six medical officers and four health inspectors had been constituted to conduct dengue prevention awareness programmes in colleges and schools besides industries and factories.
Over 600 mazdoors (health workers) were appointed since August in rural areas to supplement the existing work force of 120 workers, he said. They take up works to reduce the mosquito breeding sources and also cleaning and chlorination of water tanks. The focus is on areas such as railway yards, construction sites, dairy farms, industrial sites, cinema theatres, parks, bus stands and government and private offices.
The Deputy Director said that colleges and schools students, along with non-governmental organisations, were also involved in information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns in the rural areas. They also undertook mass cleaning activities in public areas.
The IEC campaign focused on removal of worn-out tyres and old vessels where rain water could accumulate. Accumulation of rainwater in tyres provided breeding space to both aedes aegypti mosquitoes that carry the dengue-causing virus and aedes albopictus that spreads the chikungunya virus.
Similar campaigns were also taken up in Corporation areas. The public were also urged to frequently clean their water tanks and the local bodies have been instructed to periodically chlorinate overhead tanks, said Dr. Somasundaram.
All of this had resulted in reduction in number of major water borne diseases such as dengue and diarrhoea this year, compared to the same period last year.
