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Bhubaneswar, August 7: The health department Friday launched a state-level campaign to check the incidence and spread of malaria, dengue and diarrhoea.The campaign will continue across the state till October 17.
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Awareness is essential for tackling diseases, including malaria, dengue and diarrhoea, health and family welfare minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said while launching the state-level campaign at Soochana Bhawan.
“The health and family welfare department has been conducting various extensive awareness campaigns for curbing these three diseases. In the last four years, the death rate because of these diseases has come down drastically,” said Nayak.
The state-level campaign will include activities such as training of ASHAs, ANMs and doctors, creating awareness among the public with the help of district and block level health officials, use of Swasthya Kantha at the village level, and distribution of information booklets.
“Malaria has become pandemic in state while dengue is a seasonally occurring disease. We and the ground-level officials need to be aware about the disease to extend our support to the people afflicted by it,” said health department principal secretary Arti Ahuja.
National Health Mission (NHM) director Roopa Mishra said that the district and block level officials have been asked to detect prevalence of diarrhoea among children under the age of five and treat them accordingly as the burden of death because of diarrhoea is high among children.
Nayak unveiled booklets, pamphlets and other material on the occasion. The material depicts measures that can be taken to prevent the spread of the diseases such as washing hands, using toilets, consuming hygienic food, keeping surroundings clean and green, ensuring that the drinking water is clean and using of mosquito nets.
The function at Soochana Bhawan was attended by health services director Chittaranjan Nayak, family welfare director Nirmala Dei and other health officials.
