Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Pre-epidemic preparedness activities launched in district

Photo:S. Mahinsha

NEW EQUIPMENT: V.Sivankutty, MLA, presenting fogging machines to Mayor C.Jayan Babu at a function in the city on Wednesday. Health standing committee chairman G.R.Anil is also seen.

Thiruvananthapuram: The district health administration and the local bodies have begun implementing the pre-epidemic preparedness activities, including integrated vector management programmes, which are to be carried out in the inter-epidemic period from January to March.

The District Health and Family Welfare Society, which is implementing the programmes of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in the district, will soon begin the disbursement of funds for the ward-level sanitation committees for carrying out local health action programmes.

Sanitation committees in all the 86 wards in the city corporation and those in the municipalities will be given Rs.10,000 each by NRHM.

The funds will be distributed at a meeting to be held on February 8, when the guidelines for common sanitation activities and for vector-borne disease control will be outlined to the local bodies.

Two new fogging machines, bought using the unused NRHM fund, has been handed over to the Corporation. However, the focus of all vector control activities will be source reduction and fogging will be done only in places where vector indices are high.

Health officials said that at present, because of the dry season, vector indices were generally down across the district but that this was the right time to ensure that the surroundings were cleaned.

They said that Armigeres species of mosquitoes, which breed in sewage and septic tanks and which emerge at dusk in large numbers, were abundant now. Netting the vent pipes of sewage lines and ensuring that there were no gaps over septic tank slabs could help reduce the breeding of this species.

The district health administration said that all pre-epidemic activities will be carried out as per the schedule that has been drawn up by the Health department as part of the State-level action plan. The action plan, launched by the Health Minister early in January, had charted out a clear time-line for various pre-epidemic measures, with specific instructions on the role of local body representatives, health officials and field staff.

Training programmes for health workers and volunteers on vector control measures and source reduction should be completed by the first week of March. Intensive source detection, destruction as well as vector indices studies should be completed between March 5 and May 30 and these should be intensified during monsoon.

Local bodies have been asked to complete sanitation and cleanliness activities before February 15. Strengthening the plastic ban, segregation and disposal of waste, health cards for workers in hotels and catering units, poultry, piggeries are the other recommended activities.

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Pre-epidemic preparedness activities launched in district

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