In the fight against dengue
The Hindu
Motley group generating awareness on prevention of the vector-borne disease
Monsoon brings relief from the scorching summer, but at the same time, it is the harbinger of diseases. That hygiene and sanitation are of utmost importance in the wet season cannot be stressed enough. In a bid to spread awareness about the prevention of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, a motley group of advocates, a doctor, private company employees and concerned citizens is urging people to be part of the disease surveillance. M. Karuna, the doctor in the group called ‘Dengue Brigade’, is educating people to take out a few minutes from their weekly schedule to clear stagnant water from unused vessels lying in and around homes. They plan to show videos on how mosquitoes which spread dengue virus can breed in stagnant fresh water. The chances of water accumulation increases in monsoon. The awareness campaigns would be conducted in collaboration with welfare associations over the weekends. Besides generating awareness, the brigade plans to urge people to report to government authorities if they contract dengue. She said that the authorities have to share the phone numbers of circle level entomologists and other officials concerned so that people can report the cases. Thereafter, government authorities can take measures for containment of further cases and avoid break-out.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.