No officer to monitor Malaria after rejig of Tirupati dist

Tirupati: While seasonal diseases are rampant, the newly formed Tirupati district has become handicapped with no Malaria officer in place to monitor the spread of diseases. Even after nearly four months of the district formation, the incomplete bifurcation process in the medical and health department has been causing several problems.

Though official statistics show a meagre number of Malaria and dengue cases, more patients have been suffering with these ailments and are approaching private hospitals. The poor sanitation in the city, the frequent rains have been causing water stagnation at several areas resulting in severe mosquito menace in the district.

During this time, the role of Malaria officer becomes crucial in coordinating fever surveillance and anti-larval operation from house-to-house. Educating people on preventing the larva growth and mosquito breeding by following the dry day concept among other activities.

Yet, the district has had no Malaria officer since its formation. It was learnt that the Nellore Malaria officer was given additional charge of Tirupati district. Due to the reluctance of said officer, the post was lying vacant. There was a view that instead of an in-charge officer, a full-time officer has to be posted immediately.

While the departmental officials in Tirupati were saying that they don't even have the login access into the concerned website, the Chittoor officials have maintained that they are not concerned with Tirupati district. In this case, who will take the onus if anything happens has become a million dollar question.

Even in the immunisation wing, the officials in Tirupati have been showing their fingers towards Chittoor saying that everything is under their control. Unless a clear cut division of work is made, it may lead to serious consequences, commented an official. Before things go out of hand, the government should focus on bifurcating the department in the backdrop of formation of new districts and fill all the posts of heads. Meanwhile, garbage dumps could be seen in several streets in Tirupati which are stinking and become sources of mosquito breeding. Several drains and side canals were overflowing for days together. Fogging was not being carried out in the city and in rural areas leaving mosquito menace to the people's fate.