New Delhi, May 6, 2020-
Even as India is in a warlike situation with an invisible enemy like coronavirus, the country is just a few weeks away from the onset of season responsible for vector-borne diseases (VBDs) like dengue, malaria and chikungunya.
On the top of it, the national capital is one of the most susceptible regions in the country for the VBDs outbreak. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday had a meeting with Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain to take stock of preparedness to deal with VBDs amid the corona crisis. There are over 5,000 cases of coronavirus in Delhi as on Wednesday according to the Health Ministry data.
“VBDs are outbreak prone and prevention is the best strategy, therefore coordinated efforts between various agencies are required,” Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal said in the meeting. Dengue cases start in the month of July, spike in October and ebb in November and December. According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) data there were at least 15,867 dengue cases and 60 deaths in the year 2015, 4,431 dengue cases and 10 deaths in 2016, 9,271 cases and 10 deaths in 2017 and 7,136 cases and 4 deaths in 2018.
While till November 2019 there were 4,155 cases in the national capital. Fortunately no fatalities were reported in 2019 in Delhi due to dengue as per the NVBDCP data. Similarly there were at least 577 cases of malaria and 31 deaths reported due to it in the capital in the year 2017. Delhi reported 473 cases in 2018, 713 cases in 2019. Delhi reported 64 confirmed cases of Chikungunya in 2015, which broke out in 2016 with cases mounted to 9,793. In 2017 there were 940 confirmed cases of Chikungunya, 407 cases in 2018 and 442 cases in 2019 in Delhi.
Baijal, in the Tuesday meeting said, authorities should ensure case-based surveillance, trace source of transmission, identification of vulnerable areas and launch of targeted activities. Decisions were also taken for active surveillance, early detection and adequate protective measures to control VBDs.
Baijal also suggested authorities to intensify Information Education Communication (IEC) and community awareness activities & involvement of RWAs.
“Prevention of vector borne diseases is very important considering the already strained health infrastructure due to the present situation of COVID-19,” he said. The Health Department of North MCD said “We are working on making strategies to control the vector borne diseases in the month of July and to utilise available resources for the same. On May 7, we will hold video conferencing with RWA officials. Special attention will be paid to markets, construction sites and RWA Association.”
The department also said that it planned to use latest technology to check breeding of mosquitoes in households. “But keeping in mind the corona infection, fogging will be avoided in the areas currently in the Containment Zones,” said the department. (Agency)
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