With the fever fury still unabated, the Kozhikode district administration has decided to have a three-day cleanliness drive from June 27.
At a meeting here on Wednesday, it was decided that the focus of the drive would be on Koorachundu, Narikkuni, Nanmanda, Kakkur, Panangad, Kakkodi, Thalakkulathoor, and Kayanna grama panchayats; Ramanattukara Municipal Corporation and the Kozhikode City Corporation from where the maximum number of cases has been reported.
Ahead of the drive, a meeting of local elected representatives, and functionaries of voluntary organisations, residential associations, and youth clubs would be called. Performance auditors would examine the work undertaken at the grass-roots level and submit a report to the deputy director, panchayat department, who would report to U.V. Jose, District Collector.
The district Suchitwa Mission claimed that funds had been released to clear drains. The District Collector directed the officials to include clearing of drains too in the cleanliness drive. The Health Department was asked to prolong the working hours for the outpatient section at government hospitals.
Asha Devi, District Medical Officer, said that fever clinics had been opened in taluk hospitals and the general hospital. Mosquito nets were being used in all wards. Meetings had been held in the 13 Assembly constituencies in the district as directed by the respective MLAs. Special clinics were being held for migrant labourers. Fogging had been going on in different areas and awareness camps too were being organised, she said.
Six dengue cases
As many as 31,252 people sought treatment for fever on Wednesday, of which 2,492 were viral fever cases. There were 79 suspected dengue cases of which six have been confirmed.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), meanwhile, has asked private hospitals to set up fever clinics from Thursday. This is in view of the reported inability of government hospitals to cater to the needs of the increasing number of fever cases.
In a press release here, IMA district chapter president P.N. Ajitha said the hospitals should function five days a week for one to three hours a day. Consultation fees would not be charged from patients and laboratory services and medicines would be available at subsidised rates.
‘Dry day’ on June 29
A ‘dry day’ will be observed in educational institutions across the district on June 29 in view of the rise in fever cases. This was decided at a meeting convened by District Collector U.V. Jose here on Wednesday.
Cleanliness drives would be undertaken in schools and colleges. Students and National Service Scheme volunteers would clear the garbage around school premises and nearby areas and steps would be taken to prevent water logging.
The cooperation of parent-teacher associations and voluntary organisations would be sought. The District Medical Officer and the Deputy Director of Education would give technical suggestions.
