Workshop on vector-borne diseases to prepare early action plan

An all-hands workshop on prevention and control of vector-borne diseases was organised here today to finalise a comprehensive action plan for combating the menace in the coming season.
The workshop was organised by the Public Health Department of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) which tabulates data on these diseases for the national capital.
"It is need of the hour that all stakeholders must work in tandem to ensure to minimise the loss from diseases such as dengue, malaria and chikungunya," SDMC Commissioner P K Goel said.
A brain-storming session was held to finalise a comprehensive action plan for the year 2017-18.

"Experts, scientists, representatives and doctors from the Union government, Delhi government, the three corporations (NDMC, SDMC and EDMC), New Delhi Municipal Council, armed forces, sentinel surveillance and inter-sectoral partners attended the workshop," the SDMC said.
Goel said the workshop was held as the vector-borne diseases could not be controlled despite all efforts made by various agencies.

"The corporations and other agencies have been swinging into action only after the situation went out of control in months of July, August and September," he said, adding, departments have been instructed to properly desilt drains and ensure proper supervision by dengue breeding-checkers (DBCs).

He also instructed the officers to send a team of experts to Surat to study the system of desilting of drains.
He further asked them to "identify the cases of dengue and chikungunya coming to Delhi from other states."
"It is time to complete all preparations well in time and keep ready the required men, machines and material," Goel added.
The season for the vector-borne diseases begins from mid July and generally lasts till November-end.
As many as 26 chikungunya cases were reported in the national capital this year till February 18, even as the season of the vector-borne diseases ended in December.

Nine cases of dengue have also been reported in the same period.
A total of 4,431 cases of dengue were reported till the end of 2016.
Municipal Health Officer, SDMC, B K Hazarika, directors of NIMR (National Institute of Malaria Health) and Nation Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), MHO NDMC and other experts, scientists and doctors gave inputs during the technical sessions.
They discussed the current situation, newer initiatives to overcome the outbreak of the diseases, community participation and the strengths and weaknesses of the present resources.