Campaign to prevent dengue launched in Bardibas

By Rabindra Upreti,Bardibas, July 5: A campaign has been launched in Bardibas to prevent dengue spread at a time when the dengue infection is spreading across the country. 

The campaign has been launched in Bardibas, which is most vulnerable to insect-borne diseases, to generate awareness. 

According to health workers, Bardibas, geographically adjacent to Dhanusha and Sarlahi, is at a 'high risk' of dengue.

A total of 847 people were infected with dengue during a month period, which was first detected in Bardibas in the first week of October 2017. Since then, small and big outbreaks of dengue have been reported in the city area every year.

Suresh Paswan, Coordinator of Bardibas Municipality’s Health Section, said that 209 people were infected with dengue in Bardibas last year. 

The awareness programme has been started in time this year because malaria, Kalaazar and chikungunya infections are also seen in the region. 

Dengue-related diseases have not yet been detected in Bardibas this season. The monsoon season is the time for the spread of insect-borne diseases.  

Paswan said that an awareness and early vigilance campaign has been launched in the city area to prevent the spread of such diseases as much as possible.  

Health workers in the municipality have been kept alert since the onset of the rainy season. 

According to Paswan, the Search and Destroy Campaign has been launched to destroy the habitats of mosquitoes.

To make the campaign more effective, a one-day orientation training programme was organised. At the training, 30 people, including health workers and stakeholders of 21 health institutions of all the 14 wards of the municipality participated. The participants were briefed on various aspects of insect-borne diseases such as dengue, Kalaazar, malaria, chikungunya and scrub typhus. 

Ram Babu Yadav, co-coordinator of the municipality's health section, said that instructions were given to increase surveillance and vigilance about those diseases in their respective areas and conduct awareness programmes including cleanliness and publicity.  

According to Yadav, preparations have been made to spray to kill mosquitoes in Ward No. 1, 2, 3 and 14 of Bardibas. These wards are the most polluted and most vulnerable areas of dengue.