PANAJI
In a big relief for health officials, Goa reported just four cases of dengue in the month of September, and the cumulative numbers have dropped by almost six times in the first nine months (January to September) compared to last year.
While 73 confirmed cases of dengue have been reported in the January“September period this year, which encompasses the vulnerable monsoon months, the figure was as high as 442 cases last year.
According to Dr Kalpana Mahatme, Deputy Director at the Health Department who heads the National Vector-Borne Diseases Eradication Programme, the fewer dengue patients this year in comparison to last year can be attributed to the intensive door-to-door inspections conducted by their personnel, especially in the endemic hotspots.
Mahatme also said that the awareness campaigns conducted in the jurisdictions of the primary health centres, in collaboration with other departments and local bodies, have borne results.
This year, Goa reported seven cases in January, nine in February, seven in March, six in April, four in May, 10 in June, and 13 cases each in July and August.
Last month, when four cases were reported, North Goa, which had the most hotspots, had a clean slate with no case reported.
All four cases in September were reported in South Goa ” one patient each in Margao, Curchorem, Cansaulim, and Loutolim.
The Directorate of Health Services, meanwhile, had issued instructions to all government offices, schools, and residential societies to appoint nodal officers to oversee measures to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.
The nodal officers were entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that the area is kept clean. All panchayats have also been issued similar directions by the Directorate of Panchayats, asking them to support the Health Department’s efforts.
Both these initiatives have helped the Health Department to share the burden of eliminating mosquito breeding sites across the State and have also aided the door-to-door campaigns, Mahatme added.
She said around 5,000 awareness campaigns were conducted, and fumigation and spraying of insecticides were carried out at over 1,000 locations this year.
