With the monsoon on the horizon, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has launched awareness campaigns to prevent an outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases in the city.
According to officials from the Health Department of GVMC, urban areas of the city witnessed 89 malaria cases, 330 dengue cases and 18 chikungunya cases in 2019.
The civic body has also identified 40 hotspots/high risk areas so far in its limits as per the cases reported in the past. Among the hotspots are colonies in Madhurawada, PM Palem, Peda Jalaripeta, Kurmannapalem, Allipuram, Kotha Jalaripeta, Adarsh Nagar, Venkojipalem, Agnampudi, Pendurthi and Seethammadhara.
An action plan is being prepared to involve various stakeholders like the Health Department, ASHA workers, ANMs and ward volunteers to tackle outbreaks. The number of teams to be deputed will be finalised soon. Apart from conducting awareness campaigns, the civic body is also planning to identify and eliminate water stagnation points.
Water stagnation
“Door-to-door surveillance will be conducted by the teams to create awareness among the people to destroy water stagnation points in their surroundings. Several teams have already started awareness campaigns in a few areas. Anti-larvae operations will be taken up in all areas,” said Chief Medical & Officer of Health (CMoH) K.S.L.G Sastry.
“The city generally witnesses mosquito-borne diseases from June after monsoon showers. Tanks and containers that are filled with water need to be closed. Citizens should clean water tanks and containers once a week before refilling them. If they find anything like rubber tubes, things that can store stagnated water, should be cleaned as those are the breeding points of mosquitoes,” he said.
“Apart from IEC activities, the GVMC will conduct fogging operations. We have 76 hand fogging machines, 56 power sprayers. Drains will be cleaned daily. One day in a week will be considered as dry day (Mostly Friday) to take up cleaning activities in the surroundings,” he said.
Weekly programme
The GVMC is proposing to take up a programme called ‘Every Sunday, 10 minutes at 10 am’, aimed at ensuring cleanliness and hygiene in urban areas. The programme also intends to encourage community participation in taking up domestic sanitation by clearing all water stagnation points and containing the mosquito-borne diseases.
The programme is modelled along the lines of one adopted by Telangana Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Minister K.T. Rama Rao. The programme is receiving a good response among the citizens in the neighbouring State.