Bhubaneswar: Intensive field exercise is continuing in Dengue affected areas of Bhubaneswar. Today a team of doctors deployed through Rapid Response Team (RRT) has visited different pockets of ward number 7 and 14 under North Zone of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC). Following the visit of entomologist few days back, the team of doctors has visited many households having new fever cases.
The objective of visit is to have a direct doorstep counselling of people having fever and symptoms like dengue. During the visit the team has observed some suspected cases and discussed about signs and symptoms of dengue. On the other hand, few citizens are counselled about availability of testing facility and their panic behaviour. “At government level there is ‘Elisa testing facility in Capital Hospital and Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC)’which is free of cost. Without confirmation we should not name it as dengue that arouses panic in people’s mind, and any case of fever can’t be termed as dengue”; the team of doctors visited the area today has communicated this message to the community members in small group discussions.
Amidst the COVID pandemic, due importance is also given by the city administration for action against symptomatic as well as confirmed cases of dengue. As of now 51 confirmed dengue cases have been detected. Other cases of fever are under daily home visit in the area by dedicated team members.
“Many are used to do their non – Elisa test which is not accepted to take appropriate step. Rather they should contact nearest health worker or BMC staff for a confirmatory test abiding protocol”, said BMC Commissioner Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh.
Mass awareness drive is continuing in the area along with home visits. Public address system, leaflet distribution in small community groups on daily basis. The team members include Health Supervisors, Multi-Purpose Health Workers (MPHWs), Sanitary Inspectors, Ward Officers, ASHA, Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), Swachha Sathis and Sanitary Workers are in visit to the area. A cumulative data says about 2000 households and 10,000 population has been covered as of now.
Preventive Steps and source reduction
Besides sensitization, the team members are engaged for on-the-spot source reduction activities. Divided in small groups they check for stagnant water in different types of containers like tyres, cups, vessels for cow feeding, flower pot, broken pots, used green coconut, use and throw glass and cup etc. During the visit more than 800 numbers of sources have been destroyed where larva was found in many cases. Fogging is continuing in different parts of the city along with anti-larva spray. Paracetamol tablets and ORS pockets is being provided by health workers to the people with fever.
Zonal Deputy Commissioner of BMC North Zone, Additional Urban Public Health Officer (ADUPHO), City Health Officer (CHO) and entomologists are also doing regular visit to the area.