Officials in alert mode to tackle seasonal diseases in Khammam

Khammam: Though the showers of monsoon are heartily welcomed, they are also credited with spreading diseases, especially vector-borne. The stagnated water at various places becomes a breeding ground for several disease-causing vectors, especially the mosquitoes.

In order to stop the spread of these diseases, proper sanitation must be ensured apart from cleaning areas of water stagnation and stocking and providing of essential medicines.

Last year, many cases of dengue, malaria and viral fevers were registered at different places of Bonakal, Dummugudam, Venkatapuram and Charla mandals in the district. The officials of Panchayat Raj department and Municipal department took necessary steps to overcome the problems of seasonal diseases.

This time, District Collector D S Lokesh Kumar held a meeting recently with the officials of Rural Water Supply, Panchayat Raj and Municipal departments and ordered them to take necessary steps in advance to tackle the spread of seasonal diseases.

In view of changing weather and onset of monsoon, there is a possibility of spreading of seasonal diseases across the district especially in Agency areas. The officials need to take all precautionary measures beforehand in order to prevent spread of diseases like malaria, dengue, diarrhoea and viral fevers, stressed the Collector.

The Democratic Student Union Leader Anil said officials must take necessary steps to prevent water logging in open places and also on the premise of houses to prevent breeding of mosquitoes, apart from supervising sanitary arrangements once in a week to check and prevent leakages from damaged pipelines and pit taps.

He demanded the government to provide potable water in welfare hostels and supply mosquito nets and coils to students for protecting themselves from mosquito bites.

Meanwhile, the officials of Health department prepared an action plan to tackle the situation with the ANM’s, Aganwadi workers and Asha workers along with creating awareness among the people on the spread of seasonal diseases and educating them to observe every Friday as Dry Day.

A health official of Primary Health Centre of Chintakani mandal V Subba Rao said many diseases spread due to unhygienic surroundings, water stagnation and water contamination.

By taking preventive steps such as keeping the surroundings clean and tidy and by not allowing stagnation of water, breeding of mosquitoes could be stopped, he said.

All necessary steps have been taken by establishing task force teams along with conducting awareness programmes on seasonal diseases especially in Agency areas, he informed.