Teams set up to combat diseases

They will ensure adherence to precautionary measures to check epidemics

 It has now constituted five-member Source Reduction Teams comprising the local health inspector, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) workers and Resident Welfare Association (RWA) members.

These teams will go to each locality, ensuring that safety precautions are adhered to by the people to check the spread of the dreaded diseases. In all, the Palike has formed 225-250 such teams. The four core area zones in the city will have approximately 30 teams each while the other four outlying zones will be consisting 20-25 teams each, a Palike official told Deccan Herald. This apart, the Palike has been keeping a tab on the cases registered in the control room setup in Malleswaram. Fogging and garbage clearance as per schedule in “vulnerable” areas will be continued, the official said.

Palike schools
To spread awareness on A(H1N1) flu among children, the BBMP has plans to arrange skits and ‘Role Play’ on the do’s and don’ts in the Palike schools. Palike will rope in NGOs working on the National Tobacco Control Programme for this drive to be launched in the coming days. “The main reason for the ‘Role Play’ in schools is to draw the attention of the students. We will be targeting even the parents of these children who can then spread the message to their neighbours and others,” said the Palike health official. As many as 22,000 children are studying in 226 Palike schools.

The BBMP has directed the doctors and others in direct contact with H1N1 patients to keep at least ‘one hand’ distance to avoid being infected. “The N-95 masks cannot be provided to all as they can only be used for a maximum period of three hours. In case of carelessness, the masks might be disposed in the vicinity and that can lead to further spread of the virus,” said the official. The Palike officials said they have sufficient stocks of Tamiflu tablets.

KC General Hospital and BBMP Hospital send samples of patients to Public Health Institute (PHI) Laboratory which conducts tests for chikungunya and dengue.  
According to PHI Lab Technician Dr Srinivas Gowda, out of 170 samples, 39 have tested positive for chikungunya, whereas out of the 75 samples tested for dengue only three have tested positive from January to July 2009.