The state government in Bhubaneswar will soon start a massive awareness campaign to check spread of waterborne diseases like dengue, malaria and diarrhoea from Thursday. A figure of 363 dengue positive cases and one alleged death have come up and reported in the state so far. Health minister Damodar Rout claimed of dengue situation being under control and not a single person to be found dead so far.
Rout while addressing the media here on Wednesday said, “Dengue killed 33 persons in 2011 and six in 2012. This year, there has been no death due to the disease so far. The person, who reportedly died a couple of days back, succumbed to diarrhoea,”
He added, “Highest number of 258 dengue cases were reported from Cuttack due to heavy rain in the past few days. Since the rainwater could not be drained, it led to spread of dengue.
We have always stressed on use of mosquito nets and need to clean stagnant water but people are not alert,” he added further
He, however, admitted that the campaign should have started much earlier to control the spread of diseases like dengue, malaria etc.
“The key is to create awareness. Until people realize the importance of prevention, things will not change. Dengue chariots (Nidhi Rath) will move across the state creating awareness through audio-visual, pamphlets, posters in Odia, Desia, Kui and Saura languages,” the minister said adding all PRI members, ASHA and other health workers will be involved in it. The campaign will end with two-day massive cleanliness drive on August 13 and 14. Finally a movement against these diseases have come up.
