State gears up to prevent malaria, dengue

Official teams to go from house to house and inspect them to ensure that the water containers do not become breeding grounds for mosquitos
Hyderabad: The Health Department will take up massive awareness campaign across the State with the special focus on tribal districts as large number of Dengue and Malaria cases are being reported from these areas.

As three cases of Zika fever have been found in Ahmedabad, the officials have been asked to take up anti larvae programmes on large scale.

The awareness programme would consist of ‘Friday as Dry day’ and people would be told on how to keep the surroundings free from water logging to prevent breeding of mosquitos.

The official teams will go from house to house and inspect the place to ensure that the water containers do not become places for breeding of mosquitos. Special campaign on the steps to be taken to prevent Zika fever will also be organised.

In the last six months, 258 cases of Dengue, 608 malaria cases and ten Chikungunya cases were reported in the State. Of the 258 Dengue cases , 139 cases were reported from nine tribal districts such as Adilabad, Komurambhim, JayashankarBhupalapally, Khammam, KothagudemBhadradri, Mahabubabad, Mancherial, Nagarkurnool and Nirmal districts, officials added.

Speaking to The Hans India Dr S Prabhavathi, Additional Director said that already the information material about awareness programme has been sent to the districts. She said 2,60,000 nets have already been distributed in the high risk areas.

According to officials of the department at a recent meeting with nine tribal district Collectors revealed that 71 per cent of Dengue and Malaria cases were being reported from these districts.

To address the problem, the field staff has been asked to go the tribal villages at regular intervals, collect blood samples and distribute necessary medicines. The government, officials said had already released the required funds for the purpose.