HYDERABAD: Amid handling the Covid-19 situation, Telangana’s health department is now gearing up to deal with dengue and malaria too — both of which have already reported 265 and 240 cases respectively this year.
But with the pandemic still on, officials say that they are running behind schedule in planning monsoon-related activities, usually done every year to tackle ailments.
In fact, sources privy to an internal review meeting said that officials present indicated that distribution of long lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN), used for prevention of these diseases in rural areas, might be difficult to finish on time due to the Covid-19 protocol.
Also, instead of camps this year, the department has taken up door-to-door distribution of equipment, which has only begun now.
“Distribution may be started (house-to-house distribution rather than holding a camp in the villages — with use of mask and social distancing).
It’s especially important as once rains start; it will be very difficult to distribute LLINs in hard-to-reach areas.
Therefore, we must try to complete the LLIN distribution before the rains starts,” read an internal order circulated a day ago.
However, with rains already hitting in the state, executing the order has become hassle, said an official.
“We have been instructed that the house to house distribution should be finished before the rain starts…But we are already seeing rainfall for the last few days.
Moreover, going house to house in rural areas with all the Covid-19 protocols in place is a time-consuming affair and we are likely to miss out on the target,” said a district medical and health official from an endemic district.
The health department, meanwhile, has set upon itself the task of identifying high risk areas for malaria, dengue and other vector-borne diseases based on previous year’s case load and initiate preventive measures.
The surveillance and preventive measures have been included in the monsoon action plan prepared by the department.
In 2020, a total of 872 cases of malaria, 2,173 cases of dengue and 182 cases of chikungunya were reported in state, as per official records.
Apart from distribution of LLINs, other measures planned include Indoor Residual Spray (IRS), surveillance of fever, testing for malaria and dengue and releasing of gambusia fish.
“Gambusia fish should be released in the month of July and August in stagnated water bodies in the districts.
Prepare the plan of action and put indent to Fisheries Department,” the action plan states.