AP CS reviews on water borne diseases

Hyderabad, July 6 (INN): As per the directions of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Secretary I.Y.R. Krishna Rao in the presence of Minister for Social Welfare Ravela Kishore Babu has reviewed today on the measures for prevent and control of water borne diseases.

The Minister and Chief Secretary both have enquired with all the District Collectors through video conference on the steps taken to prevent the agency and tribal people from the intensity of water borne diseases. Particularly Malaria is a fast spreading in the areas and the anti-malaria wing should be on alert with an action plan to scale down the disease, they said.

As per the analysis for Acute Diarrheal disease in Nellore District, Bacillary Dysentery in East Godavari, Krishna, Nellore, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram Districts, Viral Hepatitis in East Godavari, Guntur, Krishna Districts and for Typhoid Fever in Krishna, Visakhapatnam, West Godavari District there is high attention is needed to control the diseases.

Measures for prevention and control of water and vector borne diseases have been issued for State Level, District Level, Primary Health Centre Level and Sub-centre level.

The Chief Secretary said that to plan and organize special sanitation drives as an when required and issued instructions to all the District Collectors and Project Officers ITDA to Establishment & functioning of 24x7 toll free cell, review of epidemic preparedness in coordination with all line Departments of Districts and ITDAs, cross checking of logistics and supply chain in field, identification of water bodies and release of mosquito larvivorous fish i.e., Gambusia and anti-larval measures, functioning of sentinel surveillance hospitals for Dengue/Chikungunya.

Ravela Kishore Babu said to undertake wide publicity in vulnerable areas regarding water and vector borne diseases including 'weekly dry day' and 'safe drinking water' and conducting of health camps in high risk areas for early detection and treatment.

District Collectors informed on the staff availability viz., Doctors, Lab Technicians and Multipurpose Workers Male and Female at all the ITDA places and also informed that they will be able to manage and to tackle the situation with an action plan and measures have been taken up for water and vector borne disease control. Nodal Officers are appointed in all the Districts in the State. Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) supplied by the Government of India, out of 9 districts of IRS, 4 Districts completed in 1st phase and IRS going on as per schedule in other Districts.

The Chief Secretary suggested the District Officials concerned that they are permitted to fill up Multipurpose Workers Male and Female on outsourcing basis immediately and may also appoint the Doctors temporarily for two months wherever they are required to tackle this issue. The Doctors working in agency areas are exempted from Pushkaram Duties, Chief Secretary said.

Spl. Chief Secretary Health L.V. Subrahmanyam, Prl. Secretary Tribal Welfare Vidya Sagar and others attended the meeting.