GUNTUR: The Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) has identified 22 places in the city, including Arundelpet, cobaltpet, AT Agraharam, Gunturuvari Thota, IPD Colony, Lalapet and Nagarampalem, where mosquito menace is high. Civic officials have intensified fogging and anti-larval operations in these areas to check spread of malaria and dengue.
GMC will conduct a special drive in areas endemic to fevers and deploy Sadhikara Mitra members to create awareness among the households about seasonal diseases and control mosquito-breeding. The Sadhikara Mitra members will visit 35 houses every day. The civic body is organising special awareness camps in 64 wards in the city on seasonal diseases and deployed 160 sanitary employees for the purpose.
The employees will conduct door-to-door survey and advise households to keep their houses clean. As many as 40 employees drain out stagnant water using buckets, utensils and explain about anti-larval activity to the people.
District Medical and Health Department officials deputed 19 teams to provide treatment for seasonal diseases in the city and nine Mobile Malaria and Dengue Clinics (MMDC) were pressed into service to examine patients.GMC biologist D Obulu said, “As many as 160 sanitary employees conduct door-to-door survey in the early hours daily to give proper instructions on disposal of waste materials.”
As per the available data, 172 malaria cases were registered from January to August this year as against 667 cases during the same period last year. As many as 42 dengue cases were registered last year as against 15 so far this year.
MHO Dr Ch Sobha Rani said, “We have identified 22 vulnerable areas and are taking all measures to check spread of mosquitoes. The Sanitary department is continuing anti-larval operations in areas endemic to vector-borne diseases.”
Commissioner Srikesh B Lathkar said the Health and Sanitary employees are taking steps to prevent malaria, dengue and other seasonal diseases in the city. Guntur In-charge Collector and GMC Special Officer A Md Imtiyaz directed the officials to take preventive measures to control seasonal diseases in the city and other places in the district. He directed the GMC to appoint Sadhikara Mitra members to campaign.