Medical and Health officials in Andhra Pradesh have taken several steps to curb the spread of diseases, including dengue and malaria in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.

As per the instructions of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the Medical and Health officials initiated several measures in disease affected regions. Special Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Poonam Malakondaiah said on September 5 that all preventive and control measures are being taken to check dengue.

She said 21,52,000 insecticide treated nets had been supplied to people in all high risk areas. The first round of Indoor residual spray is completed in all districts, residential schools, colleges and hostels. Steps were taken to ensure the early diagnosis and completion treatment through intensified surveillance.

The officials identified hotspots and based on daily and weekly reports, alerts communicated to districts to take up necessary preventive and control measures. As many as 114 mobile malaria and dengue clinics have been functioning since July and 410 teams were involved in 4 corporations. The Entomological team has visited Visakapatnam district to study the vector density. In addition community and local teams were sensitized to avoid water stagnation in the surroundings, Cover all wells with mosquito proof mesh to present mosquito breeding.

In view of declaration of malaria and dengue as noticeable diseases each and every case should be captured in all the health facilities. The MAC Elisa kits for testing of Dengue and Chikungunya was supplied by the government through NIV, Pune to all the SSH at free of cost. The officials of medical and health said that focal spray with anti-larval operations, pyrethrum, cyphenothrin space spray carried out in and around 50 houses of malaria and dengue positive cases whereever reported for control of vector mosquitoes.