TN holds meeting to prevent infectious diseases during monsoon

CHENNAI: Due to the intensification of the Southwest monsoon in Tamil Nadu, the State government is taking various measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, especially dengue and Influenza.

In order to further intensify these activities, a coordination committee meeting was chaired on Monday.

The State Health Department officials said that reports of daily flu cases are being received from all government and private hospitals and immediate preventive measures are being taken to prevent further outbreaks in the affected areas.

A release from the department said that medical camps will be regularly conducted by the health department in flood affected areas.

During rainy season, waterbodies will be sprayed with insecticides to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes and further to limit the spread of dengue and malaria diseases. Adequate number of temporary mosquito control workers should be appointed and mosquito control activities should be intensified through municipalities and village panchayats. They have been instructed to dispose of scrap and waste materials. Also, the government has advised the department to keep adequate stock of insecticides and disinfectants for mosquito control.

In order to prevent drinking water from getting contaminated, adequate chlorinated drinking water should be supplied to provide safe drinking water. It was advised that broken water pipes should be identified and repaired immediately.

The members suggested that medical teams should be set up in temporary medical camps in flood-affected areas to provide necessary treatment and hygienic food. All necessary medicines for dengue treatment in government hospitals should be provided, along with life-saving drugs and blood components, testing facilities, and equipment.

In Tamil Nadu, 476 mobile medical teams are deployed to treat flu, and 785 camps are being conducted in schools.

In case of power cut in hospitals, all the clinical establishments have been advised to keep the necessary generator and its fuel ready. Meanwhile, the public is advised to follow regular safety protocols to prevent flu and Covid infection, a release from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine stated.