Districts put on alert as dengue, malaria grip Odisha
BHUBANESWAR : Perturbed over rising cases of vector-borne diseases like dengue and malaria in Odisha, the state government has swung into action to contain the spread.
Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja has directed 10 departments to initiate joint efforts to control the outbreak of these diseases. While dengue cases almost doubled in the state in last fortnight, malaria is also rising rapidly.
As per the national centre for vector borne diseases control (NCVBDC), the state has reported 488 dengue cases, up from 288 registered till June 26. The highest 130 cases have been reported from Khurda where 33 cases were detected in last 24 hours.
In malaria, Odisha topped the national chart with 12,363 cases, followed by Chhattisgarh with 10,114 cases in the first five months of the year. Though the cases of June have not been disclosed officially, sources said, more than 2,000 have been found positive for malaria last month.
Stating that dengue and malaria possess a significant public health challenge due to their rapid spread and potential severity, the chief secretary has asked the departments to take all necessary steps through field functionaries for the prevention and control of the vector-borne diseases.
“Occasional spells of rain can result in an unprecedented rise in cases of vector-borne diseases. Though dengue was known to be a mostly urban-centric disease, now it has been observed that rural areas are also affected due to rapid urbanisation and movement of people. Most vector-borne diseases can be controlled if appropriate preventive measures are undertaken collectively at the district level,” he said.
Stressing source reduction and preventive measures that are of paramount importance to reduce morbidity and mortality, Ahuja has instructed to immediately mobilise teams to supplement the efforts of the Health and Family Welfare department in sensitising people, destroying sources of mosquito breeding and sample collection at the community level.
The collectors and municipal commissioners have been directed to identify areas with high incidences of dengue reported in last five years, conduct detailed surveys with mapping and implement preventive measures to contain the disease.
Health secretary Shalini Pandit said CDMOs have already been alerted and asked to deploy rapid response teams with an adequate number of volunteers, diagnostic kits, and medicines to deal with the situation.
