City corporations intensify mosquito eradication drive

Chikungunya outbreak

Two city corporations of Dhaka have intensified the mosquito prevention drive with launching special larviciding and fogging activities at different corners of the capital as it has become an important health concern to the city dwellers, reports BSS.

Against the backdrop of sudden outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases, including Chikungunya, dengue Zika and yellow fever, the city corporation authorities also started mass awareness campaign involving local representatives and different socio-political organisations in respective city areas.

“Special drive with the larviciding and fogging activities still continuing to eradicate mosquitoes and prevent mosquito-borne diseases specially Chikungunya and dengue, “Chief Health Officer of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Brig. Gen Dr Sheikh Salahuddin said yesterday.

“Besides, we started awareness campaign including telecasting advertisement on electronic and print media, holding rally, arranging view-exchanging meeting, and leaflet distribution at the grassroots highlighting the precautionary and different preventive measures about the chikungunya disease,” he added.

The DSCC chief health officer said the city corporation authority, dividing into five areas, started exchanging views with students, city dwellers and common people as part of raising awareness about chikungunya and also involving local leaders since Saturday last.

The DSCC has also opened an information room at Nagar Bhaban with DSCC Secretary Mohammad Shahabuddin as its coordinator. All gave been requested to contact phone no: 956307 for any sorts of information to this end, he mentioned.

Talking to BSS, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) chief health officer Brig. Gen. Dr SMM Saleh Ahmed Bhuiyan said, the raising awareness campaign about chikungunya and dengue has been intensified further.

Meanwhile, there is a widespread allegation that although the government sanctioned adequate budgetary allocation to prevent the mosquito menace in the capital, there is no major visible headway in this connection as the number of patients in different health centers and hospitals are increasing day by day.

DNCC allocated Taka 23.25 crore for the 2016-17 fiscal to combat mosquito menace and in the meantime Tk 18.69 crore has been spent while the DSCC allocated Taka 11.50 crore in the same fiscal and the whole amount has been spent with no major tangible outcome, a source told BSS preferring anonymity.

The DNCC health officer, referring to recent three-tier “Crash Programme” against mosquito menace, told the news agency that they further intensified the mosquito prevention programme right now and increased the number of fogger machines along with the awareness programme in each ward.

Doctors say Chikungunya is spread by mosquitoes that bite during daytime. The virus is transmitted from human to human by the bites of infected female mosquitoes. Chikungunya symptoms include sudden onset of fever and joint pain, particularly affecting the hands, wrists, ankles and feet that take days - and in some cases months - to heal.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim on Monday directed all public hospitals throughout the country to open help desks to tackle chikungunya disease effectively.

Besides, initiatives have also been taken to set up, if necessary, a joint pain clinic at every hospital to mitigate suffering of Chikungunya patients. A control room on chikungunya disease was opened on July 3 at Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR). Anyone can contact the control room for consulting with doctors on chikungunya. Its phone numbers are: 01937110011 and 01937000011.

Earlier, the DGHS had opened 'Public Health Emergency Operation Centre' to observe the chikungunya situation. A hotline for the people seeking information regarding the disease is also open 24/7. The phone numbers are - 01937-110011 and 01937-000011.

UNB adds: 'Help desks' have been opened at all government hospitals to tackle mosquito-borne Chikungunya which has turned into a matter of great concern for all.

Help desks were opened at the hospitals on Monday following the directives of Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr Abul Kalam Azad told UNB.

City corporations intensify mosquito eradication drive

Chikungunya outbreak

Two city corporations of Dhaka have intensified the mosquito prevention drive with launching special larviciding and fogging activities at different corners of the capital as it has become an important health concern to the city dwellers, reports BSS. Against the backdrop of sudden outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases, including Chikungunya, dengue Zika and yellow fever, the city corporation authorities also started mass awareness campaign involving local representatives and different socio-political organisations in respective city areas. Special drive with the larviciding and fogging activities still continuing to eradicate mosquitoes and prevent mosquito-borne diseases specially Chikungunya and dengue, Chief Health Officer of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Brig. Gen Dr Sheikh Salahuddin said yesterday. Besides, we started awareness campaign including telecasting advertisement on electronic and print media, holding rally, arranging view-exchanging meeting, and leaflet distribution at the grassroots highlighting the precautionary and different preventive measures about the chikungunya disease, he added. The DSCC chief health officer said the city corporation authority, dividing into five areas, started exchanging views with students, city dwellers and common people as part of raising awareness about chikungunya and also involving local leaders since Saturday last. The DSCC has also opened an information room at Nagar Bhaban with DSCC Secretary Mohammad Shahabuddin as its coordinator. All gave been requested to contact phone no: 956307 for any sorts of information to this end, he mentioned. Talking to BSS, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) chief health officer Brig. Gen. Dr SMM Saleh Ahmed Bhuiyan said, the raising awareness campaign about chikungunya and dengue has been intensified further. Meanwhile, there is a widespread allegation that although the government sanctioned adequate budgetary allocation to prevent the mosquito menace in the capital, there is no major visible headway in this connection as the number of patients in different health centers and hospitals are increasing day by day. DNCC allocated Taka 23.25 crore for the 2016-17 fiscal to combat mosquito menace and in the meantime Tk 18.69 crore has been spent while the DSCC allocated Taka 11.50 crore in the same fiscal and the whole amount has been spent with no major tangible outcome, a source told BSS preferring anonymity. The DNCC health officer, referring to recent three-tier Crash Programme against mosquito menace, told the news agency that they further intensified the mosquito prevention programme right now and increased the number of fogger machines along with the awareness programme in each ward. Doctors say Chikungunya is spread by mosquitoes that bite during daytime. The virus is transmitted from human to human by the bites of infected female mosquitoes. Chikungunya symptoms include sudden onset of fever and joint pain, particularly affecting the hands, wrists, ankles and feet that take days - and in some cases months - to heal. Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim on Monday directed all public hospitals throughout the country to open help desks to tackle chikungunya disease effectively. Besides, initiatives have also been taken to set up, if necessary, a joint pain clinic at every hospital to mitigate suffering of Chikungunya patients. A control room on chikungunya disease was opened on July 3 at Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR). Anyone can contact the control room for consulting with doctors on chikungunya. Its phone numbers are: 01937110011 and 01937000011. Earlier, the DGHS had opened Public Health Emergency Operation Centre to observe the chikungunya situation. A hotline for the people seeking information regarding the disease is also open 24/7. The phone numbers are - 01937-110011 and 01937-000011. UNB adds: Help desks have been opened at all government hospitals to tackle mosquito-borne Chikungunya which has turned into a matter of great concern for all. Help desks were opened at the hospitals on Monday following the directives of Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr Abul Kalam Azad told UNB.