KOCHI: A special meeting convened by Additional Chief Secretary (Health) has decided to launch stringent measures to prevent the outbreak of monsoon diseases and dengue in the district. As per the decisions taken, a three member team comprising Kudumbasrhee and Asha workers will be formed at all the wards and divisions where there are no primary health centres. Every three-member team will cover 25 houses each and will launch mosquito eradication programme.
The meeting also instructed the DMO and DPM to form squads consisting of health officials to monitor mosquito control activities in divisions where there are Primary Health Centres.
The micro plan for the programme should be prepared by the DMO after consulting the District level officer of Kudumbashree. It also instructed the DMO office to complete the micro plan before Thursday. The training for the team members will also be given by the DMO’s office.
The programme will be implemented in the Corporations, Municipalities and panchayats simultaneously.
“Individual houses, offices, construction sites, flats and apartments, scrap stores, tyre re-treading centres, workshops or garages, stalls selling tender coconuts and sanitary shops will be given special focus as these are the places where there are increased chances for mosquito to breed. The major aim of forming the committees is to destroy mosquitoes at the place of origin itself,” said an official statement issued by the District Health Department. The Health Sanitation Committee chairman of each wards and divisions will be in charge of the supervision of the activities. Active participation of the Residents’ Associations is also sought by the Health Departments.
“The vacant plots in the city will be cleaned by the Health Department contingency workers and the labour cost will be charged from the respective land owners,” it added.
The release further added the change in climate from June and the incessant rains have resulted in an increased number of fever cases in the state. So far, a total of 6,808 cases of dengue have been reported in Kerala. A total of 13 persons lost their lives. The number of fever cases reported is 11,624,62 among which 22 death cases were reported.
764 H1N1 cases were confirmed and of these 51 lost their lives while the total number of rat fever cases reported is 631 out of which seven have died in the State.Health experts warn that because of fluctuation in climate, the threat of contagious diseases will prevail for another couple of months.
“Hence, it was decided to integrate various departments under Health sector to launch defensive measures,” said Health Department officials. Health Minister K K Shylaja also attended the review meeting which was held in Kochi the other day.