Health and Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said that the State Government was considering to introduce a fish known as Gambujiya fish in the State to control the vectors which cause various diseases to the human beings. He was presiding over the meeting of National Vectors Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP) here today. Health Minister said that Gambujiya fish was a larvicidal and a project was being prepared to introduce it in the State adding that this fish kills the larva of vectors in the stagnant water where vector breed.
Health Minister said that Weil felix test had been made available for the detection of Scrub Typhus disease at District-level Hospitals and confirmatory Elisa test at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC), Tanda besides availability of Doxycycline in health institutions had been ensured for the treatment of patients. He said that for the treatment of dengue fever, in critical cases, the platelet concentrate were available at IGMC, Shimla and Dr. RPGMC, Tanda where the blood separation units had been established. He said that the State Government was planning to bring up Virology Department at IGMC and Dr. RPGMC where all type of viral detection and isolation would be possible.
Kaul Singh Thakur directed the Health Department to start a comprehensive Information Education Communication (IEC) campaign to make the people aware about vector borne diseases such as Malaria, Dengue, Scrub Typhus, Kala Azar, etc. and to motivate the community to adopt preventive measures under vector control. He said that funds had been provided to all the Chief Medical Officers to print the IEC material and organize the awareness camps upto Sub Centre level besides the surveillance activities.
Shri Kaul Singh Thakur directed all the Chief Medical Officers to convene the meeting of all the Block Medical Officers and other concerned authorities to take appropriate measures for controlling the vector and water borne diseases. He directed the PWD and Urban Development Department to make necessary arrangements to cover storage water drainage system and maintain them periodically to avoid mosquito breeding in stagnant water besides I&PH Department to ensure the supply of safe drinking water and prompted plugging of water supply leakage leading to storage of stagnant water.
He said that the elected representatives of PRIs and Aanganwari Workers could play a pivotal role at village level for making the various awareness campaigns more successful.
Shri Sudhir Sharma, Urban Development Minister said that thermo-coal balls could be used for covering the stagnant water which could be useful for checking the growth of water borne vectors. He said that Urban Development Department had taken many initiatives to check the growth of various vectors which may cause diseases to the human beings.
Shri Ali Raza Rizvi, Principal Secretary, Health, Dr. Kulbhushan Sood, Director, Health and Family Welfare Department and senior officers of the State also attended the meeting.