'Check vector-borne diseases through source reduction'

The public can control dengue and malaria in an effective manner by clearing stagnant water and destroying mosquito larvae, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Ramachandra Bayari and District Vector-borne Disease Control Officer Dr Naveen Chandra Kulal said.

Dr Bayari and Dr Kulal were replying to queries during the phone-in programme, organised by Prajavani at PV-DH Editorial office, in the city on Friday.

Fogging will only kill the adult mosquitoes. The larvae in the stagnant water will not get killed. But one can check the diseases caused by mosquitoes through source reduction. Even a small quantity of water, whether inside or outside homes, serves as a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes which are the carriers of viruses causing dengue, malaria and other vector-borne diseases, they added.

Dr Kulal said Asha workers, multi-purpose workers (MPWs) and ANMs had been visiting houses in Mangaluru city and rural areas as a part of the surveillance programme and were appealing to people on destroying the source of mosquito breeding.

They cover a minimum of 30 to 40 houses daily, he added.

He appealed to farmers, who own arecanut plantations, to clean the plantation once a week. They should ensure that water doesn't stagnate. It is better to apply neem oil or lemongrass oil on exposed hands and wear full sleeve clothes while going out for walking in order to avoid the mosquito bite.

Dakshina Kannada had registered 1,539 dengue cases last year, of which 969 cases were reported in city limits itself. From June to November in 2019, over 2,000 malaria cases were registered in the district and a majority of them were in Mangaluru.

Building contractors should ensure that temephos is sprayed on the water once in a week to check the breeding of mosquitoes. The authorities will fine households and construction sites, if mosquito breeding sites are discovered, he warned.

Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) is taken up in KSRTC depot, hospitals and economy lodges in Mangaluru, to prevent mosquitoes.

'Don't neglect'

Bayari urged people not to neglect any kind of fever or go for self-medication and consult the nearest primary health centre or doctors in the neighbourhood.

Before visiting a traditional practitioner to cure jaundice, falciparum malaria, viral hepatitis and Leptospirosis, people should get it tested for the cause of jaundice and get the treatment accordingly. Jaundice can occur due to contaminated water, one should not neglect jaundice, he added.

Free Malaria test

Dr Kulal said that a mobile malaria detection unit was providing free services at the doorsteps of people in Mangaluru City Corporation jurisdiction.

People can also call 9448556872 and health workers will arrive at the residence for testing. Free medicines will also be distributed if they test positive for malaria.