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With monsoon season round the corner, the state’s Health and Family Welfare Department has geared up its machinery to contain vector and water-borne diseases, Health Secretary Aswathy S said

on Thursday after holding a high-level review meeting. Health officials have been instructed to intensify awareness activities at the grassroots level and ensure sufficient stock of

required drugs at all levels, ranging from ASHA workers to sub-centres, primary health centres, community health centres, sub-divisional, and district hospitals, she said. Advertisement

Direction has been issued to mobilise the community and orient them towards preventive practices involving women self-help groups (WSHGs), community leaders, and multi-purpose health workers

(MPWH), she informed. Advertisement Emphasis is being laid on ensuring the actual use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) by the people at the household level. Chief District Medical

and Public Health Officers were asked to ensure this with the help of ASHA workers and MPHWs at the village and ward levels. It has been decided that senior officers from the Directorate of

Public Health and the National Health Mission will visit the grassroots level to ensure the hundred percent use of LLINs, availability of testing devices, sufficient stock of drugs, active

surveillance, screening, and testing, etc. The Director of Public Health has been advised to draw up a detailed schedule for the movement of officers to districts, particularly those where a

comparatively higher number of cases were detected last year. It was also decided to issue advisories for the proper cleaning of overhead water tanks and the sanitisation of water sources

in residential complexes and hostels before the reopening of educational institutions. Issues related to regular water quality testing, disinfection, and monitoring in rural and urban areas

were discussed in the meeting. The review meeting found that seven districts—Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput, Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Gajapati, and Boudh—recorded a higher occurrence of malaria

cases. More than 40.49 lakh LLINs were allotted to these seven districts to cover the vulnerable population. Similarly, two districts, Sundargarh and Khordha, reported comparatively more

dengue cases last year. Authorities in these districts have been asked to intensify preventive and surveillance activities. Advertisement