With the onset of monsoon, the health department officials and staff of Jharkhand are gearing up by assembling every resource to control the growth of water- borne and vector-borne diseases in the city.
“Waterborne diseases mostly transmitted in contaminated water or stagnant water.
Infections generally reach us during its consumption in any form, direct drinking or bathing. Patients come with diseases like dysentery, cholera, jaundice, typhoid are common water borne diseases in this season,” said Dr. SK Chaudhary, Medical Superintendent, RIMS, Ranchi.
“Malaria, dengue and Chikungunya, arise in presence of stagnant and old water too and spread through mosquitoes. Though the number of people affected has been lesser this year as compared to the last year but still we must be prepared for it,” added Dr. Chaudhary.
Dr. Shiv Shankar Harijan, Civil Surgeon, Ranchi visited the Diarrhea affected Matwe Village of Chakme Panchayat belonging to Burmu Block, Jharkhand and checked on to the facilities provided to the patients at the Community Health Center on recently.
As Dr. Shiv Shankar Harijan said there is no shortage of medicines at the health center and required health facilities are provided to the patients.
“We are working on spreading awareness regarding the various water and vector based ailments spreading across the state. Our hospitals are well equipped with anti dotes and facilities necessary to treat them. Bleaching powder, decontaminators are spread throughout the city and fogging is also done,” said the Civil Surgeon when asked about the preparedness against the water & vector borne diseases.
“There has been a progressive decline in the number of cases of malaria and deaths due to it in the State. Month of June has already been declared as anti-malaria month all over the country. Messages on Dengue and Chikungunya would also be added up in the campaign. We are monitoring carefully to send rapid task forces to any place where a vector disease case is reported,” said, Dr. Ramesh Prasad, State Malaria Officer & Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) state director.
“We have testing facilities for dengue, malaria at our health centers and hospitals in the capital city, Bokaro, Simdega and Chaibasa. Not many cases require blood transfusion as patients are cured in the first and second dtages of dengue but if required we are prepared to provide every facility,” added Dr. Ramesh Prasad.
Dr. Manju Prasad, District Malaria Officer said that they are ensuring proper and thorough alertness amongst people through various awareness programmes, campaigns through meetings and posters under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP).