District gears up to deal with seasonal diseases

• Awareness programmes are being organised in a big way
• So far, 14 malaria and 7 dengue cases officially registered

Tirupati: With monsoon around the corner, the District Medical and Health department has geared up to take preventive steps against the outbreak of seasonal diseases.

District Collector PS Pradyumna held series of review meetings with the officials concerned and directed them to chalk out an action plan to implement it along with line departments.

June month has been declared as Anti-Malaria month as more malaria cases are reported during this month. To prevent the outbreak of malaria and other vector-borne diseases, several awareness programmes have been taken up by District Medical and Health department.

Flexis and banners with the symptoms and preventive measures have been arranged at vital places, said District Malaria Officer (DMO) E Husenamma.

Explaining the steps being taken to face any eventuality during the monsoon season to The Hans India, she said that the spraying of Malathion has begun in the district.

The department has been working in cooperation with civic bodies in urban areas and Panchayat Raj department in rural areas. All medical officers were instructed to lay special focus especially in high risk areas.

Rallies have been going on at several places to bring awareness among people on the preventive steps. Steps were being taken to ensure cleanliness in all areas and to see that there should be no water stagnation.

The importance of observing Friday as dry day was being explained in a big way. Division wise meetings will be held to gear up all medical officers and other staff.

Husenamma told that this year during January to June, 14 malaria cases and seven dengue cases have been reported in the district. Dengue cases were registered in Tirupati Urban, Renigunta and Mangalam areas.

In 2017, 71 malaria cases and 421 dengue cases were reported. The rainy season will continue till September normally and during this time apart from vector borne diseases, water borne diseases like typhoid, jaundice, gastroenteritis, cholera and others may also hit the people due to contamination of water and food because of flies and mosquitoes.

The breeding of mosquitoes will be more with stagnation of water and everyone should take care of this and see that their surroundings are clean and neat. Personal hygiene and sanitation are more important, Husenamma said. All medical officers were instructed to take immediate preventive measures and follow-up action whenever a case is reported.

Anti-larval operations have been taken up to eliminate mosquito breeding. The department has laid special focus on Bathalavallam village in Varadaiahpalem mandal where viral fevers have claimed more than 20 lives in the last October and attracted national attention.

Scientists and medical teams from the Central government have also reached the area and collected samples there. Though the situation was under control now, authorities were leaving no stone unturned in the village and surrounding areas.

DMHO Dr S Vijaya Gowri also said that people should keep themselves away from stored food especially during this season and requested all the people to cooperate to spraying activities.