With a view to prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases, the health department along with the district administration has formed a team to identify the hotspots in Gurugram where there have been more cases of malaria and dengue.
The district administration is set to visit schools in the city to spread awareness about malaria, dengue, and chikungunya.
Hardeep Singh, deputy commissioner, will give a 10-minute speech during the morning assembly every day in different schools to raise awareness about cleanliness and vector-borne diseases.
Such initiatives are being launched with a view to make Haryana a malaria-free state by 2020.
The health department, education department, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and the district administration officials will be conducting door to door surveys, particularly in urban areas and slums to check mosquito breeding sites inside the houses and nearby societies. Some such sites are fresh water collected in coolers, tanks, unused tyres, and other household water containers.
Dr Ram Prakash Rai, epidemic in-charge, Civil Hospital, Gurugram, told City Spidey, “We have to carry out source identification and reduction activities to ensure that water doesn’t stagnate around human habitation to stop breeding of mosquitoes.”
Soon, fumigation and spraying of disinfectants will also be carried out in various parts of the city to curb the growth of mosquitoes.
In 2016, the city recorded a three-year high in the number of dengue cases, with the district health department registering 401 cases. In 2012, 375 cases were reported while 175 were reported in 2013. There were 86 cases in 2014. There were 38, 67, 79 and 212 cases of malaria in 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013 respectively.
