Wednesday, 17 August 2011

New state plan to contain dengue

About a month after the firstdengue death was reported in Orissa on July 19, thestate government is still grappling to contain the outbreak. 

Thirteen persons were killed in 10 days from August 5 to 15, with an average of more than one person per day, due to the vector-borne disease that has spread to 18 of the 30 districts of the state, affecting thousands of people.A total 242 samples have been found positive so far. 

Health minister Prasanna Acharya on Tuesday chaired an interdepartmental meeting, attended by five other ministers, to formulate a coordinated strategy to contain the outbreak. 

As per Tuesday's decision, the housing and urban development department will undertake cleanliness, fogging and awareness campaigns. The school and mass education department will undertake cleanliness drives involving students. The works departments will ensure removal of standing water in its project areas, while rural development department has been asked to undertake cleanliness campaigns in villages. The industry department has been given the responsibility to ensure cleanliness in industrial areas, while the SC/ST development department will ensure similar drives in residential schools. 

"The government is trying its best. A dengue rath will visit Angul to carry out information, education and communication campaign," the health minister said. 


Special anti-dengue squads for Angul: The state government has decided to form special anti-dengue squads in all affected villages to prevent the spread the vector-borne disease in Angul district. "Squads will be formed in all 40 affected villages in Talcher block in the fist phase. All public representative members, school teachers, health workers and anganwadi workers and villagers will be members," said public health director Upendra Kumar 
Sahoo.

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