Citing that poor implementation of the preventive measures has led to spread of seasonal diseases in the rural area, Special Chief Secretary (Health) Poonam Malakondaiah on Monday asked the department officials to conduct special awareness drives in all panchayats to sensitise people on importance of destroying mosquito larva.
Reviewing the health situation in the district at meeting with Collector Pravin Kumar, she said awareness programmes would go a long way in keeping the spread of seasonal diseases at bay.
She asked the officials to involve Sadhikara Mitra and Aanganwadi workers, ANMs and health workers in the special drive.
“The first step should be to identify the breeding grounds of mosquitoes and destroy the larvae. Adequate supplies of drugs should be stocked at all government hospitals and PHCs,” she said.
Mr. Pravin Kumar informed Ms. Malakondaiah, on the steps undertaken to check the seasonal diseases in Araku and the outlying areas of the GVMC. “Sanitary workers have been deployed on daily wage basis to improve the situation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the CPI (M) State secretariat member Ch. Narasinga Rao and district secretary K. Lokanadham submitted a memorandum to Ms. Malakondaiah, demanding that a ‘health emergency’ be declared in the Agency areas in view of the prevalence of malaria, typhoid, dengue, anthrax and viral fevers in 11 mandals.
Diagnostic centres
“The spraying operations is yet to be carried out in villages. Doctors should be appointed in the Agency, apart from setting up of round-the-clock diagnostic test centres,” they said.
