NT Reporter
Panaji
The Directorate of Health Services (DHS) has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) to housing cooperative societies for the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases, advising society chairpersons to inform residents about preventive measures and appoint a nodal person to conduct weekly surveys of premises, with remedial action taken where required.
The SOP urges residents to remove potential mosquito breeding sources such as broken buckets, tyres and discarded items on rooftops, terraces, balconies and outside flats that can collect rainwater.
It states that dengue mosquitoes can breed even in a bottle cap containing standing water and advises that overhead and ground tanks, storage drums, sumps and all water storage containers be properly covered.
Water stagnation caused by leaking pumps, accumulation in drainage systems and open chambers in basements or parking areas should be cleared or treated weekly to prevent mosquito breeding, it said.
“The plates below vases and water in flower pots need to be cleaned or drained once a week to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes,” said the SOP.
It also calls for weekly cleaning of water coolers, containers and buckets inside flats. “If all occupants are out of station, such water-holding items should be kept dry,” said the SOP, adding that dustbins in society premises should be kept covered during the monsoon to prevent water accumulation.
Goa reported one case of dengue in April this year, compared to six cases in April 2025. The case was
reported from Siolim.
From January to April, 11 dengue cases were recorded, against 29 cases during the corresponding period last year.
“With continuous efforts by our health workers and support from other departments, we have managed to bring down dengue cases in the non-transmission season,” said Dr Kalpana Mahatme, Deputy Director of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), DHS.
