Bhubaneswar, May 29: In another step towards quality public health, the Health and Family welfare department, Odisha has warmed up for containing vector and water borne diseases during this monsoon.
Health Secretary Aswathy S. chaired a high-level review in this connection in the Secretariat conference hall on Thursday.
Looking into the preparedness made so far, she directed to intensify wide awareness activities at grassroot level and ensure sufficient stock of required drugs at different levels ranging from ASHA worker to Sub-centre, primary health centre, community health centre, sub-divisional and district quarter hospitals. Ms Aswathy also directed to mobilise the community and orient them towards preventive practices involving women self-help groups (WSHGs), community leaders, and multi-purpose health workers (MPWH).
Further, she emphasized on ensuring the actual use of long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) by the people at household level. Chief District Medical and Public Health Officers were asked to ensure this with help of ASHA workers, MPHWs at village and ward level.
It was decided that senior officers from Directorate of Public Health and National Health Mission would go to grassroot level, and ensure hundred percent use of LLINs, availability of testing devices, sufficient stock of drugs, active surveillance, screening and testing etc. The Director Public Health was advised to draw a detail schedule of the movement of officers to districts, particularly to those districts where comparatively more number of cases were detected during last years.
It was also decided to issue advisories for proper cleaning of overhead water tanks and sanitization of water sources in residential complexes/hostels before reopening of educational institutions. The issues relating to regular water quality testing, disinfection and monitoring in rural and urban areas were discussed in the meeting. The activities would be carried on targeted campaign mode under the oversight of Mission Director Dr Brundha D.
Discussions in the meeting showed that generally seven districts like Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput, Kandhamala, Malkangiri, Gajpati and Boudh recorded occurrence of more malarial cases. More than 40.49 lakh LLINs were allotted to these seven districts for covering the vulnerable population. Similarly, last year two districts namely Sundargarh, and Khordha reported comparatively more number of dengue cases. Secretary Ms Aswathy directed to especially intensify preventive and surveillance activities in these districts.
CDMPHOs of all districts, Addl. Dist Public Health Officers, senior officers from different directorates, National Health Mission along with experts and consultants of Vector borne diseases participated in the deliberations of the meeting held on hybrid mode.
