The Health Department has set up rapid response teams in 53 primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs) in the district to counter the spread of viral diseases and other epidemics.
A special team with experts from the Kottayam Medical College will evaluate the action taken and the kind of diseases spreading in various areas, in addition to the measures needed to streamline the supply of medicines.
Talking to The Hindu on the steps taken to counter the spread of monsoon-related diseases, District Medical Officer Siby Thomas said that awareness campaigns and mosquito eradication steps like fogging has been intensified in areas prone to the spread of viral diseases.
Compared to the same period last year, the total viral fever cases has gone up with 8,061 cases reported from January till June 15 this year.
The total dengue fever cases reported so far this year is 94. Seventeen cases of leptospirosis were reported—five cases in May and six cases during the first half of June. Eighteen cases of Malaria, contracted from outside the State, were also reported. Only one case of H1N1 disease was reported so far this year. During the same period last year, 53 cases of H1N1 fever with two casualties were reported.
According to the DMO, mobile medical units have been set up in nine CHCs and funds allotted to conduct camps at the ward-level and to refer serious cases to the government hospitals.
There has been a high incidence of mosquito-spread diseases in Thodupuzha taluk and fogging operations have been intensified there. Similar cases have also been reported from Upputhara and Kanchiyar areas also.
The taluk hospitals in Adimaly and Nedumkandam and the district hospital at Painavu are equipped with facilities and enough medicines to provide emergency treatment in case of a major epidemic outbreak.
Health officer S. Shanmughavel said that the mobile medical units in ward-levels have been of great help to the people in rural areas. He said that all precautionary steps had been taken in the estate lanes in Peerumade taluk to prevent the spread of viral diseases.
