GHMC Entomology wing has begun its vector control operations in the city in view of the upcoming monsoons and the possible proliferation of mosquitoes. The activities will be intensified in the first week of May, officials informed.
The Entomology wing is already fully engrossed in COVID-19 control operations, as it is entrusted with the job of spraying disinfectant in containment zones, at the locations of hospitals and quarantine facilities, RTC buses, and other spaces of public gathering.
Added to it are the anti-larval operations which include removal of water hyacinth growth from lakes, larvicidal spray in lakes by drones, door-to-door survey for control of dengue and other vector-borne diseases.
Anti-larval operations will be taken up near all nalas, and indoor residual spraying is being done in all hotspot areas of malaria spread, Chief Entomologist A. Rambabu informed.
Fogging activity too will be intensified in areas surrounding the Musi River, and other areas of high breeding sources. In all the previously dengue-affected areas, stored water will be removed once every week, Mr. Rambabu said. Besides, for the first time ever, machines to estimate the prevalence and density of the mosquitoes will be installed in all six zones, he said.
The machines will attract mosquitoes, to provide sample for the analysis of mosquito species in each area, in order to take up the vector control operations. The machines are being installed at Peddacheruvu, HMT Nagar Park, Nacharam in LB Nagar Zone, Wahed Nagar in Malakpet, HUDA Park, Langar Houz in Khairatabad, Krishnakant Park, Yousufguda in Serilingampally, Maisammacheruvu, Moosapet in Kukatpally zone, and Brahmanwadi, Begumpet in Secunderabad. Meetings will be conducted with all medical practitioners with regard to the protocol of sample collection and treatment of fevers such as dengue and chikungunya. The government was caught off guard during monsoons last year when hospitals experienced unusually huge number of dengue cases post monsoons.
Vector control operations which were to be taken up during summer months, were neglected in the name of elections and the related work, due to which there was an explosion in the number of aedes aegypti mosquito species, which led to huge number of dengue and chikungunya cases.
If the same predicament is repeated this year, the healthcare and corporation staff already under the COVID-19 pressure would be woefully short of resources to fight both the outbreaks.