NT Reporter
Panaji
As a proactive step to prevent the spread of dengue, the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) has instructed in-charges of all health centres to visit schools in their respective areas, check for mosquito breeding, and destroy it if found.
“The schools were closed for the Ganesh Chaturthi vacation, and during this period the state witnessed heavy rainfall, which could have led to water stagnation within school premises and facilitated mosquito breeding. Hence, all the health in-charges have been instructed to send workers to the schools in their respective areas to check for mosquito breeding,” said Dr Kalpana Mahatme, State Programme Officer and Deputy Director of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP).
Mahatme said they have also been asked to verify if schools have appointed nodal officers. “The nodal officers have to inform the health centres about absentees due to fever. Once we get this information, we can send health workers to the houses of these students and check for mosquito breeding in their areas. As many students have travelled to different parts of the state and outside, there are high chances they may carry the virus,” she said.
She further said that with the festive season nearly over, workers have been asked to increase house-to-house visits to check for possible receptacles that could lead to mosquito breeding. “We will also carry out source reduction drives along with the local bodies at Ganesh visarjan sites. The local bodies have assured us of providing garbage trucks and workers as well,” she added.
