GUNTUR: As part of its anti-malaria activity, Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) has started issuing notices to vacant site owners. Collector K Sasidhar directed GMC officials to issue notices to vacant site owners in the city. GMC identified over 1,500 vacant places and 40 notices have already been issued to owners. The sanitary supervisors have been directed to fill the sites with soil and clean waste plants. They are also going to conduct awareness programs and spray chemicals in stagnant and polluted water.
Guntur Government Hospital (GGH) RMO Dr Y Ramesh said that last year, a special ward was maintained to manage the patients during the rainy season. This year too, arrangements are being undertaken to start a special ward for patients. No positive cases have been detected in the GGH.
District Medical and Health Office (DMHO) identified high risk areas in the district to take preventive measures. DMHO officials announced an action plan to prevent vector borne diseases in the district of Guntur for 2017-18. Door to door surveillance is being conducted in villages to detect fever cases. Microscopic examinations in all Primary Health Centers (PHC) and other health centers are being conducted for identification of malaria parasite and treatment is being adopted as per the species. If any case is identified, the PHC staff is immediately carrying out Pyrethrum or Syphnothrine spray at the village in and around 50 houses to knock down the effect of infected mosquitoes.
The DMHO directed local bodies of the villages to carry out fogging operations and anti-larval activity. As per the directions of the state level health department, in case any patient tests positive, then he/she must take Chloroquine treatment for three days and Primaquine treatment for another 14 days.
According to DMHO officials, there are sufficient stocks of anti-malaria and Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kits available in the district. DMHO malaria officer KVS Prasad said that 157 positive cases have been identified and treatment is being administered immediately. The PHC staff has collected 3.07 lakh blood samples in the district.
“Last year, 143 positive cases were detected in the district. This year, 43 Chenchu colonies have been identified in the district and 460 blood samples have been collected. Anti-malaria activities have been carried out in the areas,” added Prasad.