In the light of northeast monsoon, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine has reiterated the measures to be taken for monsoon preparedness, disease surveillance and control measures, and relief activities.
Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine T.S. Selvavinayagam has outlined the measures to be put in place in health facilities, including adequate power backup, ambulances, sanitation, and drinking water.
Rapid response teams (RRTs) must be on round-the-clock alert during the pre-cyclonic period in each block as well as in the health unit district, and vehicles must be earmarked for mobility. Vector control teams and water chlorination monitoring teams must be kept ready to carry out immediate relief measures after the cyclone.
Hour-to-hour monitoring of weather forecast along with the District Disaster Management Authorities must be prioritised. Control room must be established in the Deputy Director of Health Services’ office for monitoring and initiating control measures immediately, all deputy directors were told.
Local bodies and district administrations must ensure that safe water is supplied to people in shelters and other places, while the quality of food provided to them must also be checked. Medical teams must be deployed in the shelters and conduct health camps.
After the northeast monsoon, there will be continuous monitoring of patients both in health facilities and in the camps for occurrence of syndromic conditions, such as acute febrile illness, acute diarrhoeal disease, influenza-like illnesses, jaundice, and acute encephalitis, and vaccine preventable diseases, such as measles, rubella, and diphtheria. The information must be analysed for any unusual increase in the conditions and appropriate preventive measures must be taken if necessary, the directorate said.
