Action plan to check dengue fever

Kochi: The city Mayor Mercy Williams, District Collector M. Beena and
the District Medical Officer K.T. Ramani, in a meeting on Monday,
decided on an action plan to combat the increasing cases of dengue
fever over the last week. According to the Mayor, fogging and spraying
had been going on intermittently, but will be intensified along with
cleaning drains and premises will be cleaned by cutting overgrown
grass.Dry day will be observed to clean up any stagnant water
collected in mud puddles that breed mosquitoes. Officials of the State
entomology cell will be overseeing the vector surveillance in the city
that will provide the information about high risk areas.Ms. Beena
outlined the cleaning operations according to the instructions of the
Minister of Health P.K. Sreemathy, who had attended a review meeting
here on Sunday.While the health squads under the Corporation Health
Officer will be involved in cleaning up the city, volunteers of
Kudumbashree and the Accredited Social Health Activists under the
National Rural Health Mission will be spreading awareness among the
public to keep the premises free of garbage and not allow water to
collect in small bowls and puddles.The collector will be calling a
meeting of the private hospitals in the city to improve reporting
about dengue fever. Under the existing notification system, only the
Government hospitals provide reports.Under the Information and
Education Campaign, school students will be made aware by training
teachers and by showing a visual campaign using a cartoon character.
Students will also be given pamphlets on the disease. Street plays
will be organised to drive the point home on cleanliness and hygiene
and precautionary measures against mosquito bites.Notices will also be
distributed to households.NRHM has already transferred the funds to
create infrastructure at the General Hospital for improving treatment
facilities and providing mosquito nets, mosquito repellents for
patients, said NRHM district co-ordinator K. V. Beena, who had
participated in the meeting.Deputy Mayor C.K. Manishankar, chairman of
the Corporation Standing Committee on Health, N.A. Mani, Corporation
Secretary Mini Antony, Corporation Health Officer C.G. Elizabeth and
District Medical Officers of Indigenous Medicine and Homoeopathy were
some of the other participants.

The Hindu, 25th November 2008