After the massive door-to-door survey undertaken as part of the drive to curb mosquito menace, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) authorities have decided to conduct medical camps in its limits, especially in the areas from which rampant incidence viral fevers was reported.
According to the officials, 5.97 lakh households were covered during the two-day door-to-door survey against the targeted 5.8 lakh until Sunday and 31,600 houses were found locked. The spillover of the exercise continued on Monday.
“As many as 19,600 mosquito breeding points were identified during the drive, a majority of those inside houses or the nearby areas or on the terraces. The mosquito larvae were destroyed and preventive measures were taken. The survey revealed that despite a series of campaigns, the citizens are yet to be fully aware of the importance of keeping their surroundings clean by regularly checking for water stagnation or emptying the stored water,” said an official of GVMC.
Now, the civic body, the official said, would organise medical camps in the areas where rampant incidence of viral fevers are reported, mostly in the slums.
Medicine distribution
“Screening tests for malaria and typhoid will be performed at the camps. If there are any symptoms of dengue, the preliminary screening will be done at the nearest Chief Minister’s Health Centre. Medicines will also be distributed at the camps,” the GVMC official said.
At a meeting with the officials here on Monday, Municipal Commissioner M. Hari Narayanan discussed the outcomes of the two-day survey. “The programme was successful and the citizens were educated about the seasonal diseases,” he said.
As many as 5,000 ‘Sadhikara Mitras’ and other workers of the civic body carried out the surveillance under the supervision of 500 officials.
Drains to be cleaned
“The dates and location of hospitals for the medical camps will be announced soon. ASHA workers and ‘Sadhikara Mitras’ will convey the details to the citizens people and ensure the smooth conduct of the camps,” Mr. Hari Narayanan said.
The clearing of stormwater drains is also being taken up simultaneously. During his morning visit on Monday, the Municipal Commissioner instructed the officials to clean up the Gavara Kancharapalem storm water drain in two days and address to the issues pertaining to the poor sanitation caused by the cattle there.
