Precautionary measures against epidemic outbreak

KOCHI: The district administration and the Health Department will initiate precautionary measures to check the outbreak of epidemics in the city. All the related departments and private hospitals will also be brought under the initiative. The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by Additional District Magistrate E K Sujatha.District Medical Officer Dr R Sudhakaran said that a consolidated attempt from other related departments is a prerequisite to resolve the issue, apart from the activities of the Health Department. Efforts are needed to check the outbreak of epidemics which is rampant in the eastern parts of the state, he said. He said that hospitals, including Ayurveda and Homeo departments, should inform the DMO office when they find any cases of epidemics. The raids which were conducted in the hotels found that diseases are spread owing to the lack of hygiene in food and drinking water. Recently, 168 raids were conducted in the district. Actions were taken against six toddy shops and four hotels in those areas which were particularly prone to jaundice. The DMO also pointed out that chances of drinking water getting polluted have become too widespread as the sewage water is getting into the pipes laid for supplying drinking water. The acute water-logging in Palluruthy and also the water theft by inserting pipes into the drinking water pipes have accentuated the issue. This has become one of the major reasons for the widespread of diseases. Serious concerns have been raised over the dumping of septic tank waste in the water resources.  Decisions have been taken to convene a special meeting under the District Collector. The existence of quack doctors in the city is a major impediment in fighting the spread of epidemics.To create awareness among the people, the literacy mission will take steps measures through literacy preraks. As many as 1,10,348 fever cases, 14,478  diarrhoea cases, 289 chicken pox, 105 malaria, 81 leptospirosis cases were registered in the city from January to September. Only 11 cases of jaundice were registered from January to July. However, it was increased to 54 cases during August-September. Disaster Management Deputy Collector P Indira Devi, Additional DMO Dr Haseena Muhammad, NRHM district programme manager K V Beena, rural health officer Sreenivasan were present.