The State Government has devised a multi-pronged strategy besides gearing up its healthcare machinery to prevent spread of various diseases during the ongoing monsoon season.
The Government has established a number of ‘Epidemic Control Rooms’ in all the districts of the State including Raipur, officials said.Combat teams have been constituted at district and block-level. A total of three State-level referral laboratories have also been established under Microbiology departments of Government Medical College Raipur, Bilaspur and Jagdalpur for providing pathological test facility during epidemic strike.
Each of these laboratories has been linked with the districts. Sufficient stocks of necessary medicines have also been made available at remote far-flung villages and hamlets.Director, Health Services has issued necessary Directives to all the Chief Medical and Health officers. As per the directives, alternate arrangements of Rural Medical Assistants (RMA) and other para medical staff would be made in the health centres, where doctors are unavailable, and the sub-health centres that are lacking in number of health workers.
Officials have also been instructed that telephone number of district-level control rooms should be properly publicized. Telephone number of Epidemic Control Room in Raipur is 0771-2220011. Sufficient stock of all the necessary medicines like chlorine tablet, bleaching powder, ORS sachets, antibiotics, anti-snake venom and anti-rabies serum etc should be made available in every health centre for epidemic control.
Moreover, a per the directives issued, stock of medicines should also be made available to Mitanins, Aanganwadi health workers, Kotwars, Panchs and other nominated depot holder of each village and hamlet. Depot holders should be provided training in epidemic control activities, with the help of local health workers.
Officials have also been instructed to ensure supply of safe drinking water. Water in wells should be treated with bleaching power once in a week and water purification of sources in urban areas should be ensured in coordination with Municipal bodies, they were told.The officials concerned have been instructed to carry out purification of hand pumps, with the help of Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). Every measure for prevention of contagious seasonal diseases should be properly publicized through print and electronic media. People should be made aware to avoid consumption of unhygienic food.
In urban areas, special action plan should be chalked out and implemented for prevention and control of epidemics. Officials have been instructed to hold meetings with urban bodies and thereby review the supply of safe-drinking water.Measures for prevention and control of malaria and other vector borne diseases, such as regular surveillance, blood slide collection, spraying of disinfectants, use of larva-eating fishes, immediate redressal and emergency treatment should be taken.
It has also been instructed that the district collectors should take meetings of officials of concerned departments and review the arrangements for epidemic control.The officials of division, district and block-level should regularly visit respective areas and monitor the situation. They have also been instructed to stay prepared for immediate action as and when required. At Directorate-level, In-charge officials of each district have been instructed to visit the districts.