In a major lapse which could have serious consequences on public health, the district health department has stopped activities against dengue and other mosquito borne diseases in the provisional State capital Dehradun. Citing lack of payment to the Asha workers, the department suspended anti dengue activities in first week of this month.
Shockingly the suspension of anti dengue activities has been done in the state capital at a time when cases of dengue and other mosquito induced diseases are at their peak. Paradoxically the State health department had evoked Epidemic Act only on Friday to put a control on menace of dengue in the State.
The Asha workers are like the foot soldiers of the health department and their role in controlling the menace of mosquito borne diseases is of paramount importance. These Asha workers are yet to be paid the full honorarium for anti dengue campaign of last year.
In absence of money the Asha workers are showing reluctance to work and the district vector borne diseases department too is not making any work plan for them in absence of budget. To control diseases like dengue, malaria, chikungunya and zica the health department undertake variety of activities under which the health workers conduct periodic surveys of the affected and susceptible areas, details of people who had fever recently or are currently under its influence are sought, the breeding grounds of mosquitoes are identified and destroyed. Extensive Source Reduction (SR) activities for destruction of larvae of mosquito and environment management works are also part of this exercise. The health workers also meet people and educate them on how ensure that mosquito do not find a place to breed and other preventive measures under Information Education and Communication (IEC) activities.
These workers personally destroy potential breeding places and they use Pyre- Proxyfen granules which is a potent chemical used to destroy mosquitoes. On the basis of the reports of these workers the department undertakes fogging and spray of insecticide in the potential hot spots.
The experts inform that these activities should be undertaken on a regular basis to keep a check on the vector borne diseases. It is pertinent to mention here that the due to a massive anti dengue activity undertaken by the authorities last year, dengue has not assumed epidemic proportions this year. An outbreak of dengue occurred in the Dehradun district last year when many as 1,434 cases of the disease were reported by the department after collecting samples of 41,325 suspected patients. This year only 28 cases of dengue have been reported so far but experts fear that suspension of anti dengue campaign could cause a spurt in number of patients in later part of the season.
It is learnt that the department owes more than Rs 8 lakh to about 300 Asha workers as payment of anti dengue activities undertaken by them. “How will we work if our due is not paid to usIJ From last many days no work on dengue is being done and we are not assigned any work either,’’ said one Asha worker.
The health department however is negating that anti dengue activities are suspended in State capital. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Dehradun Dr TC Pant said that Ashas and other health workers are working on the dengue front. He said that Asha workers would soon get their pending payment.