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Bengal

Fight against dengue: KMC develops app

Kolkata: In a significant step towards strengthening its campaign against dengue, the state Municipal Affairs department has developed a mobile app which will connect all vector control team members across the state.

People can lodge their complaints like stagnant water or garbage accumulation that can emerge as a breeding ground for mosquitoes through the app and the vector control team will take immediate action.

A few days back, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had instructed the department to kickstart dengue awareness activities simultaneously with the continuation of work related to measures to combat the spread of COVID-19.

"People can upload pictures of garbage or water accumulation in their respective areas through this vector app and the concerned team will immediately do the needful and upload compliance with a picture of that place after cleaning. The app will keep us informed of problems and actions and even intervention if needed can be taken up centrally," said Subrata Gupta, Principal Secretary of the State Municipal Affairs department.

This year the procurement of biolarvaecide and larvicide to be spread for dengue prevention has been done through the state Health department. It has already been sent to the Chief Medical Officer of Health of all the districts.

The municipalities have been asked to collect things as per their need from the respective CMOHs and start spreading activities immediately.

"There are very few companies that supply larvaecide. Procurement by the 125 municipalities individually was a time-consuming affair. So we have simplified the procurement process," said a senior department official.

The department has also streamlined the deployment of the vector control team depending upon the density of population of a particular area. There will be a larger team for a densely populated area and a smaller team for areas with less population.

A video conference was held in presence of Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim on Thursday with chairmen and Mayors' of municipalities and municipal corporations where the convergence areas of activities of COVID-19 and dengue was also discussed.

The door-to-door visit for the collection of a database for COVID-19 and dengue is more or less same and both can be done side by side without much difficulty.

The department has already supplied gloves and sanitisers to all its conservancy workers who are at the forefront of the fight. The drivers of ambulances and hearses have also been provided with the same. "Their gowns will also be reaching us early next week," the official added.

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