City records 93pc less dengue cases from last year
At a time when the Aedes mosquito has brought apprehensions in the neighbouring district of North 24 Parganas, Kolkata is heaving a sigh of relief.
The English Bazaar Municipality in Malda has formed a five-member unit in every ward under it to prevent mosquito-borne diseases, while the civic body has been undertaking a survey to identify fever patients in the area.
Health workers and scavengers alike are constantly being sensitized about the procedure of their work regarding the matter, it is learnt.
Every unit has been equipped with the anti-mosquito oil, spray guns, canons etc to be used properly as per the guidelines of the health department.
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The civic body is also gearing up to buy machines for blood tests to confirm any infection from the mosquitoes. “To prevent diseases spreading from mosquitoes, we have made proper plans and ward-based applications are going on to stop the insect’s breeding,” the in-charge of the health wing of the EBM, Subhamay Basu, said.
The opposition leader of the civic body, Narendranath Tewary, however, alleged that the EBM had been claiming more than it has been doing. “Larger steps to stop mosquito breeding should be taken before the start of the summer season, but I have noticed no such initiative so far,” he claimed.
The chief of the EBM, Nihar Ranjan Ghosh, refuted the allegations and said that wardbased unit members were keeping records of the residents with fever and keeping patients under observation for 15 days.
The workers have been conducting blood tests of the sick on their own immediately after knowing someone has a fever, he added.
“We are doing whatever we have been asked to do and these workers are visiting every house to look for stagnant water and bushes to be removed at once. On 14 March, we are also going to hold a huge rally in the area to create awareness among residents about mosquito-borne diseases,” Mr Ghosh added.
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