Punjab Health department, in collaboration with the local bodies, on Tuesday launched a State-wide campaign to prevent vector-borne diseases including malaria and dengue. It has also sought cooperation from the general public in making this campaign a success.
All civil surgeons have been directed to coordinate with respective local bodies to take necessary steps to prevent breeding of the mosquitoes in and around their vicinity in each town.
“Instructions have been issued to the State, district and block level health officials to pull up their socks to tackle vector-borne diseases,” said the State Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani. He said that a special awareness drives would be launched to educate public about prevention of breeding of the mosquitoes to prevent any cases of malaria and dengue.
He said that the department has sufficient quantity of insecticides for prevention of spread of these diseases. The officials had also been asked to spray insecticides on the pits filled with water and prevent stagnating of water in their surroundings. The Health Department teams have been kept ready at various hospitals and health centres across the district in case of any eventuality, Minister added.
Jayani said that the Civil Surgeons were also asked to ensure that all fever cases reported are tested free of cost for malaria.
Directing the health officers at district levels to ensure that malaria should be treated free of cost at all the Government hospitals of the State.