Prevent water stagnation to ward off dengue

Chennai: Come rain and the city wakes up to dengue fever. With rain in the state occasionally, it also appears to have given wings to the dengue mosquito, which has been attacking people in some parts of Tamil Nadu, like Tiruvallur.

However, the government is on its usual denial mode. “It was the same even last year. Though many deaths were reported, many doctors were unwilling to accept that they were caused due to dengue,” said a government hospital doctor.

Though the state has been seeing a rapid decline in the number of cases reported in the last few years – with 2,343 cases in 2015 as compared to 12,826 cases in 2012 – dengue deaths continue.

“The moment rain starts -   be it a drizzle or heavy rain - stagnation of water is seen everywhere and mosquitoes are found breeding there. Earlier, there was a higher incidence of dengue and now, if there is a fall in the incidence, it is due to epidemiological reasons and not due to the corporation’s efforts,” said  Rex Sargunam, president, Tamil Nadu Health Development Association.

It was alleged that doctors were advised not to diagnose cases as dengue in 2015. “If there were any suspicious cases of dengue, doctors and lab technicians were advised to report it as fever with thrombocytopenia (decrease in platelet count). However, the public should realise that not many disease result in thrombocytopenia,” added the government hospital doctor.

The aedes mosquito, which is a female mosquito - the bite of which can cause dengue, breeds in fresh water. With lack of knowledge among the public, especially in interior areas of the state about importance of checking water stagnation, the mosquito tends to find so many places to breed in.   

In 2012, dengue was classified by World Health Organisation (WHO) as the ‘most important mosquito-borne viral disease’ in the world. “Dengue can come to anybody. Though not all cases are dangerous, it is better to prevent the disease rather than wait to cure it,” said health expert Parthasarathy K.

Though the government has started taking measures to educate the public on keeping their surroundings clean, as is being initiated in Tiruvallur district, doctors feel that educating the public must not be done only when the matter get serious.

“People should be able to identify breeding sites and destroy it. It is also the duty of the department of public health to anticipate the occurrence of diseases and prevent it. It is the duty of the corporation to identify breeding sites. If they do that, 80 per cent of the work will be done. However, they are not doing it,” said Rex.

Rs 1,000 fine on houses breeding mosquitoes

 In the wake of Tiruvallur district witnessing a spurt in number of fever cases, the adjacent Avadi municipality has intensified anti mosquito and dengue measures. Municipal commissioner C. Matheevanan also instructed the public health workers to impose a fine of Rs 1,000 on houses that breed mosquitoes, said Avadi municipal sources.

Abandoned buildings, unused quarters and vacant plots, where storm water stagnate are ascertained. Even the government land coming under Defence and railway establishments are periodically checked to ensure that there is no breeding of mosquitoes and the central agencies have also been roped in to be part of the anti mosquito drive, sources said adding that there are provisions to impose fine up too Rs 10,000 under Tamil Nadu public health Act. Two years, back Chennai corporation also collected fine from construction sites, where mosquitoes were found breeding.

“The civic authorities are serving public notices demanding better sanitation, but the drainage lines are chocking and this needs to be attended near Thirumullaivoyil”, said R Nandagopal a resident of Annanur.

Meanwhile Chennai Corporation on Monday kickstarted distributing Nila vembu herbal drink for residents through its primary health centres and ward offices. “The entire network of corporation primary health centres and hospitals have been alerted to store adequate medicines and also report any mystery fever in Chennai. As on date, Chennai is safe and there is no outbreak of any vector borne disease,” a corporation official said.

A press release from city corporation said as many as 121 culverts across all canals in Chennai have been desilted and water hyacinth is removed to ensure that there is no water stagnation. Till now in the last two months, 66 per cent area of water bodies infested with hyacinth are cleaned and dumped in Perungudi and Kodungaiyur dumping ground and this work will continue for next few months to prevent mosquito breeding.