Health dept finds it tough to curb spread of diseases

KOZHIKODE: The health officials here have been finding it difficult to combat the increasing number of fever and dengue cases due to lack of cooperation from the public despite numerous campaigns to garner their support.
The failure in eliminating the mosquito breeding sources at the coastal and hilly regions has led to spurt in communicable diseases, especially dengue fever.
On an average, 1,000 patients are daily seeking treatment at the various outpatient wings of government hospitals. Dengue outbreak has been reported at Mukkom and Feroke grama panchayats, claiming three lives in addition to three other suspected deaths due to the disease. Dengue cases have also been reported from Vellimadakunnu, Eranhipalam, Ramanattukkara, Olavanna, Naduvannoor, Beypore, Kakkodi, Thalakulathoor, Palazhy, Peruvayal, Kayanna, Perambra, Koodaranji, Thiruvambadi, Kuttiyadi, Balussery, Mukkom, Feroke and Koyilandy this month.
Though health officials here have commenced the pre-monsoon preparedness drive in May, the recurring summer rains created troubles for the complete eradication of mosquito breeding points.
An official with the district disease surveillance unit on anonymity said that the non-cooperation of the people in Mukkom were making the mosquito eradication task ineffective. “Rain created havoc in May and affected the steps to curb breeding of mosquitoes. People still believe that eliminating mosquito breeding grounds inside their house is also the work of the health staff,’’ said the official. “People residing in Feroke and Koduvally have cooperated with us after dengue deaths created panic among them,’’ said the official.
According to State Integrated Disease Surveillance Project unit, a total of 10,968 persons visited the outpatient wings of government hospitals from June 1 to June 20. Another 591 suffering from fever have been admitted to government hospitals within two weeks.
As many as 237 suspected and 55 confirmed dengue cases have also been reported. The district had reported a total of 59,272 fever cases from January to May 2015.
The district had reported 280 dengue cases n 2014. It was 167 in 2013 and 44 in 2012.
Dr A Baburaj, NRHM district project manager said that NRHM has appointed 28 additional doctors to deal with the situation. “We have succeeded in deploying one doctor each at Nadappuram and Kuttiyadi, as no one is ready to work in these hilly areas,’’ he said.
Additional district medical officer Dr Piyush Namboodiripad said that the issue does not pertain to shortage of health staff alone. “We have even detected mosquito breeding inside refrigerators and the health staff is not in a position to intervene in such situations. Only public participation will help to combat the situation,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, a review meeting of district sanitation mission chaired by district panchayat president K Jameela at Hotel Nalanda here on Monday stressed the need of conducting a medical camp in the rural areas with the help of Indian medical Association. The meeting also stressed the need for the importance of scientific disposal of toilet wastes to prevent pollution of water bodies. Heads of various grama panchayats and health officials attended the meeting.