the goan I network
MARGAO
Attention, Madgavkars and Fatordekars. Are you willing to join an anti-dengue awareness drive in your respective localities with dengue raising its ugly head in the commercial capital in a big way and the Margao Urban Health Centre hard pressed to visit the 30,000 households for want of adequate manpower?
As dengue showed no signs of abating and suspected dengue raising its head in Madel ward, Margao Urban Health Centre, Dr Anju Kharangate went public with a plea to the people of Margao to form groups of volunteers to go around the houses and supplement the efforts of the health workers to keep dengue at bay.
Literally fighting the menace with its back to the wall for want of manpower coupled with the heavy and incessant rains, Margao Urban Health Centre has indeed begun to feel the heat with fresh dengue cases being reported from new places in the city jurisdiction. From Borda, Housing Board Gogol and Aquem, dengue cases are now being reported, though odd ones, from Madel, Pajifond and other areas. “The heavy and continuous rains offered the breeding ground for the dengue mosquito. The health centre received a number of cases in the areas of Borda, Housing Board, Gogol and Aquem. Accordingly, our health workers descended in these areas to carry out massive operations, to check water accumulation, anti-larvae spraying, tyre lifting drive and fogging. However, no sooner our health workers had completed the exercise in these areas, there was heavy rainfall again,” Dr Kharangate said.
To tide over the manpower shortage being faced by the urban health centre, which has around 20-25 workforce, drafted for anti-larvae operation, Dr Kharangate has made an appeal to the people, including the local Margao Municipal Council, councillors, and other departments to join hands in the battle against dengue in the city. “The 20-25 staff at the disposal of the health centre is not sufficient to visit all the 30,000 households. No doubt, we are doing our best, but if citizens and other departments come forward, it will go a long way in supplementing our ongoing efforts,” she said.
Dr Kharangate added: “If citizens of groups move around and spread awareness door to door by educating the people how to prevent water accumulation, with special stress on coconut shells, flower pots, tyres, the drive will stop breeding, keeping mosquitoes at bay and automatically cap dengue.”
Incidentally, the health officer pointed out that malaria is not only under control but the centre has not reported any cases this season. “Hardly one or two cases of malaria have come to light in the city. This shows that malaria is under control,” she added.
