Chennai: State health department has begun reviewing the spread of contagious diseases across the state and planning mass cleaning drive to ensure hygiene and prevent an outbreak of such diseases. The health minister reviewed the current situation in all districts through video conferencing over the spread and control of infectious diseases on Tuesday.
The health department will take initiatives against the spread of infectious diseases, especially against dengue. All districts will carry out a mass awareness programme and a mass cleaning to prevent the outbreak of any infectious disease.
“Mass cleaning will help to create a public hygiene across the state. With seasonal changes and a rise in the case of infectious diseases, mass cleaning will be an added step to prevent the spread of diseases,” says Dr K. Kolandaisamy.
He added that video conferencing with all district health workers and directors were aimed at checking on the spread and control of infectious diseases. As part of awareness programme, a new initiative of screening short films to make students in schools and colleges be aware of infectious diseases will also be done.
Health education department is ready to take up a massive awareness campaign to sensitise the issues related to the spread of infectious diseases.
As the first zika virus case was reported in Tamil Nadu, the health department has been on alert with district administration taking up necessary steps to avoid any further infections. Public health department has begun various practices such as door-to-door testing of all fevers, distribution of oral medication and checking stagnation.
In view of 4,845 cases of various vector-borne diseases being reported in Tamil Nadu, the health department has instructed the government hospitals to monitor the patients with different types of fever and laid special on dengue. With around 4,407 cases of dengue reported this year, the government has strengthened the measures to avoid its outbreak.
“Government hospitals are instructed to treat all cases of severe and suspected fever as dengue unless it is proved not to be a dengue. Patients should also take precautions and take medication and prescription from qualified doctors, preferably government institutions in case of fever to avoid complications,” said Dr P. Vasanthamani, dean, Kilpauk Medical College.
Corpn conducts awareness programme on dengue
Chennai Corporation, in its attempt to sensitize school children on dengue and its prevention, conducted a massive awareness program on dengue prevention across various divisons in 200 schools. All students are asked to volunteer as health ambassador to aware the people on the spread of various diseases.
Active participation of students will help to aware the people in their locality as they can propagate the information against the spread of dengue.
“To prevent dengue, stored drinking water should be covered well and should be cleaned out of junk materials. Waste materials should be removed to prevent mosquito breeding of Aedes mosquito that causes dengue,” said health education department official.
