Odisha to launch special drive to curb diarrhoea in flood-hit districts
Bhubaneswar, July 3 (UNI) The Odisha Government will launch a special intensive disinfection drive at the village and institutional levels to contain the spread of diarrhoea in districts affected by recent floods.
The campaign will be jointly carried out by the Health and Family Welfare Department and the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, through coordinated efforts of ground-level officials from both departments.
A detailed action plan for the drive was discussed in a high-level meeting chaired by Health Secretary Aswathy S.today. The meeting focused on the current status of waterborne and vector-borne diseases in the affected areas.
With floodwaters gradually receding in five blocks along the Subarnarekha, Jalaka, and Budhabalanga rivers, the government has decided to implement a targeted disinfection campaign in the vulnerable regions.
The drive will be conducted in two phases — first on July 4, and again on July 11.
A joint guideline outlining the campaign measures has been issued to all field-level officers from both departments.
As part of the campaign, the steps will be undertaken for super chlorination of drinking water sources, cleaning and disinfection of health facilities, educational institutions, marketplaces, and other public areas Awareness campaigns at the village and household levels will be taken up through ASHAs, ANMs, and health workers Food Safety Officers have been directed to intensify inspections of bottling plants, eateries, and hotels to ensure strict adherence to food safety protocols.
They have also been instructed to take immediate corrective measures, including financial penalties for violations.
Chief District Medical Officers and District Public Health Officers have been instructed to undertake extensive field visits during the campaign and ensure result-oriented actions on the ground.
All 377 currently deployed Rapid Response Teams will be sent to affected areas to carry out immediate interventions and monitoring.
The meeting also emphasised maintaining an adequate stock of anti-venoms for snakebite treatment in PHCs and CHCs, deployment of MBBS doctors in flood-affected areas to ensure quick access to treatment and intensification of laboratory surveillance by increasing sample collection and testing.
Senior officers and state-level teams will visit various affected areas to closely monitor and supervise field-level activities.
Discussions during the meeting indicated that due to increased awareness and preventive measures, the diarrhoeal situation is currently under control in the state.
