The School of Public Health, PGI, is conducting an extensive anti-dengue and anti-malaria programme on the institute campus in July, which is being observed as anti-dengue month.
The monsoon season, particularly the months of July and August, is the highest risk period as far as malaria and dengue is concerned. Rainwater that accumulates in vessels could be breeding ground for female Anopheles mosquitoes that cause malaria and Aedes aegypti mosquitos that cause dengue.
Giving information, Dr Ravinder Khaiwal, Associate Professor of Environment Health, School of Public Health, PGI, said he had called for intensive monsoon cleaning programmes to prevent instances of dengue and malaria on the institute campus. “Checking of coolers, overhead tanks and anti-larval checks are some of the activities which have already started. These will speed up over the next few days. This is an annual affair for school for public health,” he said.
Dr Khaiwal said he had urged the PGI Director to make the drive a collaborative effort with pro-active participation of the entire PGI staff, right from the heads of the departments and faculty, to nursing and security staff.
Notably, in May, the malaria wing of the UT Health Department had found “mosquitogenic conditions” on the PGI campus as well as larvae. The department had then raised issue with the PGI authorities.
