As per a letter to the Health Department, Chandigarh, the Union Health Ministry has forecasted unusual summer rain along with an early onset of monsoon.
In a time when the world is not yet recovered from the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, health experts also predict an outbreak of vector-borne diseases with early monsoon. Highly relative humidity will be conducive for prolific vector breeding. They call for timely preventive measures to stop an epidemic of malaria, dengue fever, and chikungunya.
As per doctors running the national vector-borne disease control programme, the city health department should gear up for the challenge. The National Programme Director has asked to keep medicines, insecticides, and other logistics in the city to avoid any last minute defficient stocks. For immediate hospitalization, all tertiary-care hospitals should keep beds.
According to Dr G Dewan, Director, Health Services Chandigarh, their department has launched fogging operations in mosquito-breeding areas.
To prevent community transmission, the government wants the Health Department to work out a road map. Malaria and other arboviral diseases should be eliminated before the spread begins.
News Source: Times of India
