PORVORIM
The Porvorim Primary Health Centre (PHC) has recently screened 600 workers employed on fishing trawlers at Malim Jetty and have not detected any case of cholera or malaria.
When contacted, PHC Health Officer Dr Shikandar Talwar stated that records of the fisheries department indicate that around 900 workers are working on fishing trawlers at Malim Jetty.
“We have, so far, screened about 600 workers but we have not detected any cholera or malaria cases as yet,” confirmed Dr Talwar.
Concerns had been following the death of a 39-year-old fishing trawler worker at Malim Jetty late Monday night after suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea, in light of an outbreak of cholera at the Cutbona Jetty in Cutbona and Mobor fish landing centre.
Asked to comment on the death of the trawler worker, Dr Talwar said: “The post-mortem has not been received as yet. The viscera of the deceased has been sent to the forensic department at Hyderabad and it will take at least 15 days to receive the report.”
Dr Talwar informed that he had had a meeting with the directors and officials of the Mandovi Fishermen Marketing Co-op. Society Ltd. on Wednesday.
“We instructed them to maintain cleanliness at the Malim Jetty. They were also given first aid medical kits to be handed over to each boat owner to be placed in their boats. These kits contained ORS, paracetamol tablets, etc.,” said Dr Talwar.
On Thursday, the Porvorim PHC conducted an awareness camp at the Malim Jetty in the presence of Superintendent of Fisheries (North Goa) Dr Sunita Pauskar and other officials of the fisheries department.
During this awareness drive, 91 blood slides were collected of workers to test for acute diarrhoeal diseases and vector borne diseases.
Workers on fishing boats were explained about the importance and techniques of hand washing and personal hygiene.
