Bhubaneswar: The state government Thursday directed all district Collectors and municipal commissioners to take necessary measures to control diarrhoea along with malaria and dengue outbreak during the monsoon season. In a letter, Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) Commissionercum-Secretary Shalini Pandit said, “Given the rise in diarrhoea and vector-borne diseases, the state government has decided to take precautionary measures that include prevention and control of diarrhoea, malaria and dengue besides identification and management of tuberculosis and leprosy cases.” She also emphasised identifying immunisation dropouts and pregnant women, who have not tested for Hepatitis B. “The state government is focused on reducing child mortality caused by diarrhoea, which accounts for about 10 per cent of deaths among children aged below five. These deaths could be averted by preventive measures such as early initiation of treatment by the use of oral rehydration solution (ORS) and zinc tablets, along with adequate nutritional intake by the child during diarrhoea,” she said. Pandit said as part of intensified diarrhoea control activities, an integrated campaign ‘stop diarrhoea’ is being implemented across the state from July 1 to August 31.
During the campaign, several advocacy and awareness activities are being carried out at community and school levels. “Major activities include strengthening service provisions for managing the cases, establishing integrated IEC corners, distribution of prophylactic ORS packets and zinc tablets to all households by ASHA workers, screening of presumptive tuberculosis cases and suspected leprosy cases. In addition, continuous testing of fever and suspected dengue cases, eradication of mosquito breeding sites, cleanliness drives, community sensitisation and mobilisation by ASHA, AWW and ANM workers are being carried out,” she said.
Asking for collective support from concerned authorities, Pandit said, “We firmly believe that together we will be able to ensure a successful implementation of the integrated campaign in the state.” H&FW department also directed the key stakeholders to coordinate with the department officials for effective implementation of the programme. Besides, all concerned department officials were asked to make the campaign one of the key agendas in their periodic/ monthly meetings at both district and state levels.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP