Hyderabad: Health minister T. Harish Rao and several other ministers, in a meeting with district collectors and health officials, discussed the rise in seasonal diseases, food safety measures in residential schools or hostels, among other issues on Monday.
Ministers Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Sabitha Indra Reddy, Koppula Eshwar, Gangula Kamalakar and Satyavathi Rathod and chief secretary Somesh Kumar participated in the video conference.
Apart from them, district collectors, additional collectors, DPOs, DMHOs and other senior officials attended the conference.
Harish Rao urged collectors to take up special drives like Friday dry day in all schools, hostels and other institutions. He asked them to intensify booster vaccination drives.
Sabitha Indra Reddy said hostel wardens should be made responsible for matters relating to hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness. Kamalakar cautioned collectors about the quality of rice supplied in hostels and called for regular inspection. Satyavati Rathod said a special officer should be appointed for each school or hostel to regularly monitor them.
Later, addressing the media, Harish Rao said that the outbreak of dengue appeared similar to the outbreak five years ago. He said malaria was currently prevalent in Mulugu and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts.
“We have made kits available in all districts to prevent malaria and dengue. The medical health department is on full alert against seasonal diseases,” he said.
He said that seasonal diseases had been reduced to a great extent by rural and urban development programmes such as Mission Bhagiratha scheme.
