VISAKHAPATNAM: With the change of season there are more chances for spread of seasonal diseases. The GVMC and district medical and health officials have been alerted to take precautionary measures. At a coordination committee meeting on dengue and malaria held in the city on Thursday, Health department principal secretary Poonam Malakondaiah told the officials to keep a check on the health condition of residents at Anakapalle, Bheemili, Gajuwaka and slum areas.
She asked the team to go for regular chlorination, drainage cleaning and fogging to avoid diseases like malaria and dengue in the places where the situation is more vulnerable. “Whenever malaria or dengue cases are reported, the medical team should be informed for providing immediate treatment. Also, the blood samples of the residents living in surrounding areas should be taken,” she said.
The self-help groups, ASHA and Angawadi workers were told to go for house-to-house campaign to educate the residents on the precautionary measures to be taken to avoid viral infections. MEPMA group members will be conducting mandal-level meetings on malaria and dengue diseases. The principal secretary told the health officials to note the day-to-day fever cases reported in both government and private hospitals and submit the report to the district collector.
“The doctors and health teams should make it a point to take measures to avoid serious cases and deaths,” she said. For a total of 159 ASHA worker posts, only 88 were recruited. GVMC chief medical officer Hemanth informed Poonam that a notification was given for the recruitment of 71 ASHA workers will be done by July 7.