Open House: What steps should be taken by the Health Dept & MC officials to stop breeding of dengue larvae?

Prevention is always better than cure

Many people become victim of seasonal ailments every year. Due to change in weather, infections such as cough, cold, sore throat and nasal disorders are quite common. While mild body problems wither away after little care, but some acute infections become a cause for concern. The risk of dengue and malaria should not be taken lightly. These are caused by the mosquito bite and spread wildly due to the negligence of authorities and people in maintenance of proper sanitation and poor environmental protection. The larvae grow fast in stagnant water. It is rightly said prevention is better than cure. While expert medical care is essential if one finds even mild symptoms of the disease, but more significant is that the people be proactively sensitised to follow the preventive steps. Avoid breeding of mosquito larvae by keeping clean stagnant water containing objects such as tires, plastic covers, flower pots, pet’s water bowls, water coolers, public lavatories etc. Windows be closed properly to prevent the chances of any mosquitoes entering the rooms. Use mosquito repellents. The Health Department and Municipal Authorities must ensure periodic spraying of DDT or other disinfectants at all vulnerable areas. Drainage and sewerage pipes must be kept in order to ensure proper flow of water and avoid any stagnation in localities.

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

Maintain cleanliness at homes, public places

Rising cases of dengue, malaria, chikungunya and other vector and water-borne diseases in Punjab, particularly in Bathinda, Mohali and Hoshiarpur, amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, have flagged serious concern once again this year. Rapid urbanisation, unplanned growth of cities and towns, mushrooming of slums, erratic social behaviour, faulty water storage practices and disposal of solid waste materials, lack of any specific vaccine or treatment, inadequate healthcare infrastructure and lackadaisical attitude of health and civic administrations are the major contributory factors. No doubt, it is the social and constitutional responsibility of the state government to protect public health. But only concerted and collaborated efforts by the general public and the district authorities will help fight the fatal dengue epidemic successfully. A sustained awareness campaign about the importance of better civic sense should be undertaken on a war-footing through print and electronic media, NGOs and civil society organisations. First and foremost, all perfect mosquito breeding habitats such as water containers, flower pots and desert coolers should be emptied of stagnant water. People should keep their surroundings clean, use mosquito repellents and nets, wear long-sleeved shirts and loose pants, and avoid travelling to mosquito-infested places and stay at home to remain safe. The Health Department and Municipal Corporation should regularly survey, clean and sanitise the vulnerable and high-risk water logging areas like lanes, parks and markets. Adequate medical facilities should be created in government hospitals and dispensaries to save innocent patients from being fleeced at private clinics and laboratories. People flouting the mandatory health instructions should be strictly penalised and the erring government officials and MCs should be held squarely accountable for dereliction of duty. Sincere and dedicated endeavours will surely make the country dengue and malaria-free like Sri Lanka.

DS Kang

Keep surroundings, environment clean

Punjab has been grappling with the dengue epidemic every year for decades. Despite warning by medical experts, both the public and the district authorities are equally blameworthy for the evolving situation which usually goes out of control and poses a potential public health challenge. People are caught unawares as they do not follow the protocols and succumb to the deadly disease. It is shameful that the putative preparedness of the Health Department and the Municipal Corporation to meet any medical calamity stands completely exposed. Heaps of garbage, pools of overflowing sewerage and stagnant water, and wild growth of grass, weeds and bushes can be seen everywhere in urban and rural areas due to the apathetic and indifferent attitude of the concerned officials and the municipal councillors. Moreover, the government bodies are riddled with corruption, favouritism and inefficiency. For checking the spread of dengue, reduce the loss of precious human lives and prevent its occurrence in future, the government should adopt a comprehensive strategy. Local community and its leadership should actively participate in the joint efforts of the local administration, NGOs and social and religious bodies in this regard. People should avoid body exposure to mosquito bites and take immediate medical aid in case of high fever, body pains and bleeding under the skin, fatigue and restlessness. Proper disposal of solid waste, cleaning of domestic water containers, sanitisation of neighbouring environments, management of water supply, sewerage and drainage systems and updating medical infrastructure for proper fever survey, contact tracing and maintaining adequate stock of blood platelets are the other effective preventive measures.

Tajpreet S Kang

Augment, reorient medical facilities

The local authorities must ensure that there is no water-logging anywhere and random checking at government offices and homes be carried out. Simultaneously, there is urgent need of massive fogging drive in the city besides special efforts for maintenance of cleanliness and quick disposal of garbage. The medical facilities need to be reoriented and augmented for effective treatment of dengue affected patients.

Jagdish Chander

Provide proper treatment to patients

Mosquitoes breed in areas where water accumulates and which do not have proper drainage system. The Health Department should give proper treatment to the people for cure of this disease. They should educate the public by teaching them some general precautions for the prevention of the disease and should provide cost-free services to the people who can’t afford treatments in big hospitals and should also provide regular checkups to the citizens. Additionally, civic body officials should also play their cards by providing basic necessities to the poor ones. They should sanitise the areas regularly, especially during the monsoon season. At last, people need to get aware of the situation and should adopt necessary precautions to fight against the disease. The government should put efforts to build a well organised system for putting this disease to an end.

Sam

Carry out fogging on a war footing

Dengue is not a new for the masses as earlier apart from dengue, chikangunia, viral fever was witnessed during the monsoon season. Stagnant water provides a breeding ground for dengue mosquito. We should pledge to drain out the water from our homes, water tanks and coolers. We should follow the norms strictly to keep our selves safe from dengue and other water-borne diseases during the monsoon season and the Health Department should carry out fogging on war footing.

Rajat Kumar Mohindru

Change Water kept for birds daily

Dengue can be fatal as it decreases platelet count in blood. As of now no vaccine is available to treat dengue. We have to be extra cautious to stop breeding of mosquitoes. Cleaning house from junk is the first and basic step to stop breeding of mosquitoes. Clean pots and coolers time to time. Water kept for birds should be changed daily. Use of insecticide, spray in dark corners, under the bed and sofa, behind the curtains and burn repellents. Open windows to allow sunshine in the house. Wear full sleeves shirt and full pants. The government should do fogging once in a week before the start of rainy season. Media coverage and debate should be held to create awareness. Prevention is better than cure so don’t rely on government and take all precautions. Stop eating junk food, eat citrus foods in more quantity and use of garlic which helps in building strong immunity.

Shashi Kiran

Take preventive measures at home

Malaria and dengue are an annual affair in our cities because of the carelessness of the public health and civic authorities. Both the diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes. Dengue is usually transmitted during daytime and malaria during the night. Unfortunately, the civic authorities don’t care about the health of the people. The drainage system is very poor. A few days back heavy showers inundated the low lying areas of the city and even some squares, which is a routine affair every year. People should also be made aware of the sanitation, more so not allowing the water to stagnate in their surroundings, flower pots, water coolers and other containers.

Dr JS Wadhwa

Start fogging with the advent of monsoon

Amritsar witnessed sharp rise in dengue cases due to lack of preparedness on the part of the Municipal Corporation (MC) and health authorities. Despite the early warning and full-fledged malaria wing at its disposal, no fogging and spray work was undertaken in vulnerable habitats to check dengue spread especially after onset of rainy season. Most of the areas were left un-attended even after reporting of dengue cases citing manpower shortage leading to spread of deadly disease. Both the MC and nodal district malaria officer should work in tandem to deal with dengue menace by earmarking zone/ward wise work operations to avoid overlapping. Procure more fogging and spray machines at present in limited numbers to deal with rise in cases. Rope in private players to undertake house to house survey and awareness campaign by distributing pamphlets citing steps to check larvae formation in and around of residential areas. Outsource the fogging work on contractual basis at the beginning of monsoon. The government and private hospitals be advised to report dengue cases immediately to concerned health authorities to check breeding source to save others from being infected with deadly disease. Impose fines and issue challans to errant residents who failed to follow the guidelines in taking preventive measures.

Anil Vinayak

Don’t confuse it with common flu or Covid

• Mosquitoes carry some of the most fatal pathogens and parasites, which have been bugging humanity for eons. Around 700 million contract mosquito-borne illnesses each year some of which are malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika. However the disease which needs to be addressed in the city is dengue
• With over 100 cases in the city and many more on the rise it's essential to deal with the problem immediately. I think the first step would be to counter the threat at sight, how do u get rid of weeds? By pulling the roots so we attack the root of the problem. Dengue larvae needs to be destroyed on sight, might sound harsh but isn't that what survival is about
• Authorities as well the public need to make sure if they spot dengue larvae they destroy it on sight. Stagnant water should be drained as soon as it's detected. People need to make known of the symptoms of the disease so they don't confuse it with common flu or Covid. This conundrum can easily be averted but with joint efforts of both administration and the public Gurjas Singh

QUESTION

Are transfers/postings of police commissioners/IAS officers after the change at the helm of affairs in a state justified? How does it affect their functioning?

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