Health Minister emphasizes Inter-departmental coordination for Containing Vector-Borne and Water-Borne Diseases

Ludhiana, July 31, 2024: Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh on Wednesday directed the officials of health, local bodies, rural development and panchayats department to work in tandem to prevent and contain vector-borne and water-borne diseases in the district. 

Chairing a district-level meeting to review the preparedness for prevention and control of water and vector-borne diseases in Ludhiana, Dr. Balbir Singh stressed the importance of seamless coordination among the officials of these live departments. He emphasized that every official should have all details of cases, hotspots, samples, and other vital information readily available.

He also highlighted the collective responsibility in preventing and controlling water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, hepatitis-A, and vector-borne diseases including malaria, dengue, and chikungunya.

Sahnewal MLA Hardeep Singh Mundian also attended the meeting.

In case of an outbreak, the Minister directed the Municipal Corporation/ Nagar Councils and other relevant agencies must identify and rectify fault leading to water contamination promptly at first. Until the fault is rectified, clean drinking water should be provided to the general public to prevent further escalation of cases. Door-to-door surveys should be conducted, and necessary medicines should be delivered to affected areas. 

Dr. Balbir Singh also stressed the importance of an awareness drive by the health department to educate people about identifying larvae and checking water containers in their houses daily. This drive should also target educational institutions to educate students about larvae, as they can play a vital role in sensitizing people around them to help prevent the breeding of mosquitoes in their surroundings.

Additionally, Health Minister also reviewed the functioning of Aam Aadmi Clinics' Outpatient Department (OPD), medicine availability, the functioning of OOAT centres, and drug de-addiction and rehab centres. 

Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney informed the Health Minister that daily monitoring of the situation is being conducted, and all departments are submitting water sampling reports in the evening to her. Immediate rectification measures are implemented where reports are found unsatisfactory, she added.