Push to curb spread of vector-borne diseases
Kolkata: In a bid to check mosquito-borne diseases, the state Health department has directed senior officials in all the districts to conduct door-to-door surveys. The district health officials have been given a detailed outline on how to implement the vector-borne diseases control programme.
The health branch of all Zilla Parishads will have to remain in touch with the entomologists. The district level entomologists have been asked to survey the nature of the diseases and examine ways to combat those.
The plan of action will be prepared after district health workers and the entomologists submit the survey reports. The health team from the districts will visit various places to ensure that the potential breeding grounds of mosquitoes are cleaned. The Health department has issued the directives to the Panchayat department and the District Magistrates to keep an eye on the vector- borne diseases control programme. The district administrations have also been directed to conduct checks so that there is no accumulated water at any public place or households.
"The steps have been taken as preventive measures as the Health department is trying to ensure that not a single case of dengue or chikungunya occurs in December. The department apprehends that there may be a spurt in dengue cases by the year end," sources said.
It may be mentioned here that the health department of various civic bodies had undertaken campaigns to combat dengue and other mosquitoes-borne diseases after monsoon. They organised awareness campaigns at various wards under their jurisdictions urging people to ensure there are no empty cups, broken furniture and other used materials kept on their rooftop or in nearby areas.
Health workers from various municipalities visited houses and housing complexes to examine the overhead tanks and underground reservoirs. The owners of individual houses and the housing complexes were also asked to take up the issue immediately, if the reservoirs were not covered properly.
