The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Guard against infectious diseases, public told

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 25, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Guard against infectious diseases, public told

Staff Reporter

Health Department call to maintain environmental and personal hygiene Focus on environmental and personal hygiene

Thiruvananthapuram: The district health administration has appealed to the public to be on guard against infectious diseases, which usually break out during the monsoon, by maintaining good environmental and personal hygiene.

The Health Department has intensified its vector studies, fever surveillance activities as well as preventive measures against dengue, chikungunya, leptospirosis and other infectious diseases.

However, ensuring people's participation in maintaining environmental hygiene is of utmost importance for preventive measures to be effective, District Medical Officer Kumari G. Prema said.

Infectious diseases monitoring cells are being opened at all taluk hospitals. Adequate stock of medicines has been ensured at all major hospitals in the district also, she said. Garbage should be properly disposed and the surroundings cleared of all solid waste like coconut shells, broken bottles, plastic bags or old tyres in which vectors can breed.

The `aedes agypti' mosquitoes require only a few teaspoonfuls of water to breed. Hence, emptying flowerpots or draining rainwater from sunshades are activities one will have to do on a regular basis around the house once the rain begins.

From January this year till May 22, 36 cases of malaria, 69 cases of dengue fever, 29 cases of leptospirosis, 113 cases of jaundice and 951 cases of chicken pox have been reported from the district. Compared to last year's figures during the same period, infectious diseases have shown a downward trend this year in the district.

Medical camp

The district medical office, as part of intensifying preventive measures against infectious diseases, is organising a medical camp at Karimadom Colony on May 26 from 9 a.m. A team of doctors from General Hospital will lead the camp.

This year's World Environment Day, which falls on June 5, will be observed as sanitation and environmental hygiene awareness day, ADM K. Surendran said.

The decision was taken at an inter-sectoral coordination meeting convened at the Collectorate on Thursday to discuss the preventive measures to be adopted in the district against monsoon-related diseases.

Action plan

An action plan would be formulated by the Health Department which would be implemented across the district. The meeting decided to clear garbage meticulously with the help of the Corporation, Kudumbasree network and other voluntary organisations. Action would be taken against those who deposited garbage on the streets in places other than the designated disposal sites. The premises of all schools, Government offices and trading institutions would be cleaned.

Steps would be taken to eliminate the rodent population, with the cooperation of the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry departments.

Awareness campaigns would also be organised in schools in the district on the precautions to be taken against infectious diseases and the importance of keeping the premises clean.

A control and monitoring cell (phone no: 2790828) has been opened at the District Medical Office to coordinate the disease prevention and control activities in the district. The Indian Medical Association also opened a monitoring cell for awareness on preventing infectious diseases.

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