In view of the upcoming northeast monsoon, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine has issued instructions to the Deputy Directors of Health Services (DDHS) on the preparatory, disease prevention and surveillance measures to be put in place.
It has said rapid response teams should be on alert round the clock during the pre-cyclonic period in each block and in the Health Unit District. Vector control teams and water chlorination monitoring teams should be ready to take immediate relief measures. Hourly monitoring of weather forecasts, in coordination with the District Disaster Management Authorities, should be given priority. Control rooms should be opened at the offices of the DDHS.
All health facilities should have adequate power backup through generators with sufficient fuel supply. The DDHS should ensure that generators of adequate capacity were kept available and they should be tested regularly. The generators should be installed at elevated places.
Drains should be cleaned periodically to avoid water stagnation and flooding of wards and other areas of the health facilities. Drinking water and water for other purposes should be checked frequently.
A significant number of doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and other workers should be trained in disaster management through the Fire and Rescue Services and other agencies.
The DPH has outlined the roles and responsibilities of the local bodies, the district administration and the Health Department during and after the monsoon, including measures to be taken at rain shelters. Persons at health facilities and camps should be monitored continuously for syndromic conditions such as acute febrile illness, acute diarrhoeal disease, influenza-like illnesses, jaundice, acute encephalitis and vaccine preventable diseases such as measles, rubella and diphtheria. Any unusual increase in the conditions should be looked into, it said.
