HT Correspondent
MORIGAON, Nov 5: The second meeting of the District Task Force on Vector-borne Diseases convened at the office of the Chief Medical and Health Officer (Infectious Diseases) in Morigaon on Sunday. Presided over by district commissioner Devashish Sharma, the meeting engaged multiple departments, including the Health Department, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, and Agriculture Department to address the prevention of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).
Emphasizing preventive measures against dengue, Commissioner Sharma highlighted the imposition of fines for breeding ‘AEDES’ mosquitoes in residential or office premises, asserting stringent monitoring by the district administration. He stressed the necessity of continuous fever surveillance and comprehensive awareness campaigns to eradicate malaria from char areas.
Underlining the significance of heightened awareness, Sharma mandated government and private hospitals and laboratories to promptly report cases of vector-borne diseases, aiming to prevent fatalities. Morigaon’s District Malaria Officer, Supriya Das, detailed the ongoing weekly dengue surveillance program in urban, rural, and other district regions until November 14. Das reported no malaria cases in Morigaon since 2018 and confirmed the district’s application for a malaria eradication certificate.
The meeting deliberated on launching awareness initiatives to curtail dengue mosquito breeding, especially focusing on urban areas through collaboration with Morigaon Municipality. Additionally, plans for issuing newspapers on the subject were discussed.
Attendees included Dr. Phani Pathak, Joint Director of Health Services, Dr. Dulal Chandra Medhi, Chief Medical and Health Officer (Infectious Diseases), alongside medical practitioners, health officers, and health department officials.
