SANGAREDDY: Though the lack of rains have left the farming community in the lurch, officials of the district medical department heaved a sigh of relief as no cases of waterborne disease were reported from the district.
Besides, apart from the lack of rains, the preventive steps put in place four years ago have borne results and helped in curbing the spread of communicable diseases.
The administration observed a sanitation week programme from April in almost all village to tackle health problems in the rainy season. As part of the programme, a sum of `10,000 was sanctioned to every village to take up upgradation of sanitation facilities.
Construction of individual toilets, arresting water leakages, laying new pipelines, removing stagnant water pits, cleaning water tanks and increasing the height of water taps are some of the measures which have helped the district administration to prevent the outbreak of diseases during monsoon.
Officials of the medical and health department claimed that water tanks in as many as 800 villages were cleaned and water is being stored in them after procuring it from a local source. In other villages of the district, Manjeera water is being supplied through pumping schemes.
Of the total 1,059 villages, cases of water-borne diseases were reported only from seven villages in June and July. The mandals are Hathnura, Kowdipally, Daultabad, Sangareddy, Narayankhed and Gajwel. The administration immediately swung into action and held medical camps across all the mandals.
Arrangements are being put in place to tackle diseases like diarrhoea, dengue, jaundice, malaria, typhoid, swine flu and chikungunya. “We have procured all the required medicines and distributed them at primary health centres to enable doctors to attend to any health problem without delay. We are prepared to face any health emergency,” district medical and health officer Dr M Padma said.
However, one case of swine flu was reported at Singannagudem. The person was a native of Rangareddy district and was immediately shifted to Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad. Similarly, two suspected cases of dengue were also shifted to Gandhi hospital.
While 451 cases of diarrhoea and five deaths were reported last year, only 60 cases and no deaths have been registered this year.
Being Prepared
■ Construction of individual toilets
■ Arresting water leakages
■ Laying new pipelines
■ Removing stagnant water pits
■ Cleaning water tanks
■ Increasing height of water taps