After asking district officials and the Indian Medical Association on Monday to prepare an action plan to control malaria and fevers in the Visakha Agency, Collector Lav Agarwal visited Munchingput mandal o Tuesday and held meetings with people's representatives and employees and the community health workers.
Several deaths due to fevers were reported from the Visakha Agency during the last two weeks and many people were suffering with fever and malaria in several mandals of the area.
According to reports reaching here at least five positive cases of malaria are being reported at the CHC and PHCs in Chintapalli mandal and in Koyyuru, G. Madugula, G.K. Veedhi and some other mandals. Men, women and children were seen suffering with fevers in Araku Valley mandal also.
Mr. Agarwal wanted officials to take up measures in consultation with the people's representatives who have access to people from village level. At a meeting with the CHWs he urged them to work like soldiers in saving the lives of people. Stress must be laid on drug administration, he said.
Mr. Agarwal assured them to take up with the Government non-payment of their honorarium for the last 14 months. He appreciated them for the less number of positive cases being recorded this year due to the efforts made by them in controlling malaria.
Field visits
The Collector wanted the voluntary organisations to create awareness among the Girijans on cleanliness and nutritious food by making field visits. He told the Special Officers designated for the 11 Agency mandals to form striking teams to reach without delay the areas where the incidence of fevers was more.
They should act as captains of the medical and official teams of the mandals and go to the remote areas and inspect the medicare being given.
House to house visits must be taken up along with visits to the schools and hostels. An action plan must be prepared for each mandal, Mr. Agarwal said. He also announced that 10,000 mosquito nets would be received by the district in a few days for distribution in the area. Joint Collector M. Girija Shankar, MLA Siveri Soma, Revenue Divisional Officer K.R.D. Prasada Rao and DMHO G. Savithri accompanied the Collector.
