A high-level meeting convened by Health Minister Veena George and Revenue Minister K. Rajan on Friday in the wake of the rising threat of epidemics in the State decided to step up surveillance and vector-control activities at the district level.
The meeting directed the administration in all districts to take up a sanitation drive on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the next few weeks. Fogging would be carried out for vector control, with the focus on plantations and hotspots identified by the Health department.
Review meetings would be held every two weeks in local bodies. Voluntary workers would also be drafted into the sanitation campaign .
Mr. Rajan directed District Collectors to convene a meeting of legislators in each district and coordinate the activities. Ward-level vigilance committees would be activated and special fever wards would be set up in relief camps.
The Health Minister told the meeting that epidemic prevention and control measures had been intensified following the warning of a spurt in dengue fever cases. She also stressed the need to step up measures for prevention of leptospirosis, especially among manual labour and dairy farmers. Local bodies were directed to ensure that workers don gloves and protective footwear and take doxycyclin tablets.
District Collectors were also told to ensure that private hospitals follow the treatment protocol and do not fleece patients.
The meeting recommended the use of masks by children and senior citizens for influenza prevention. Hospitals were directed to ensure adequate stock of drugs.
Senior officials from the Health and Revenue departments and district collectors participated in the meeting.
