Review meet on arrangements to tackle zika virus infection

Times News Network
Kanpur: In view of the necessary guidelines on zika virus infection given by the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a review meeting in the city on Wednesday, the divisional commissioner Raj Shekhar on Thursday held a review meeting and gave instructions.
In the meeting the adminstrative, health and civic officials of Kanpur and Kannauj including, district magistrates, chief development officers, CMOs, district pnachayat raj officer and municipal commissioner KMC and chief medical superintendent, Kanshi Ram Joint Hospital and Trauma Center were present. The officials of Kannauj district participated in the meeting virtually.
Chief medical superintendent, Kanshi Ram Joint Hospital and Trauma Center, Kanpur Nagar said that a dedicated Zika ward of 40 beds has been established in the hospital, which is currently functional and adequate number of medical officers and other staff have been deployed in the ward. He added, “In addition to the above, it was directed that effective action should be taken to make the lift, which is not functional at present, functional immediately.”
The Kanpur municipal commissioner stated that at present six wards of the KMC are affected by the Zika virus and sanitization and fogging drives are being conducted there regularly. “It was also directed that the process of sanitization and fogging should be ensured in other wards of the city as well,” he said.
District panchayat raj officer, Kanpur Nagar/Kannauj was directed to ensure that sanitation and fogging should be done and adequate cleanliness be provided in rural areas. A surveillance be carried out to identify all the pregnant women and their samples should be collected for Zika test. The DM Kanpur Nagar was informed that samples of some women identified during the survey have not been collected following which it was directed that the samples of all the remaining pregnant women should be collected and sent for testing in 2-3 days.
It was also directed that the municipal corporation and the health department should make sure to make peole aware of measures to prevent zika infection through handbill in the affected areas on priority basis. The surveillance and source detection team should also keep a prescribed check list through which the information received during the survey is recorded.
The source detection team must explain the general methods of disease prevention and source reduction to the household members and get their checklist signed in this regard.
Meanwhile, the district magistrate, Kannauj said that there is only 1 case of Zika infection in the district.
“So far, 212 samples have been sent to KGMU Lucknow, out of which 164 reports have been received, in which only one case was found positive,” said the DM Kannauj further. The DM further said that adequate number of beds with mosquito nets have been reserved in Medical College, Kannauj and all Community Health Centers. “Along with this, the process of cleaning, sanitization and fogging is going on in the district,” he said.
The divisional commissioner said, “We have directed that in the first phase, a sensitization physical or virtual workshop should be organized with the principals of all primary, secondary and higher education institutions of the affected area on Saturday or Sunday.”