Health min inspects every home in New Kailash Nagar
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Ludhiana: Health minister Balbir Singh inspected every nook and cranny of the houses in street number one of New Kailash Nagar here Friday morning. He was accompanied by civil surgeon Dr Ramandeep Kaur and health teams.
They did not find a single household that didn't have dengue larvae in their coolers, flower pots, water containers, fridge trays, tank water, and water storage containers.
Singh said these are breeding grounds for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which causes dengue, and sensitised residents to the importance of undertaking regular cleaning and draining off accumulated water to prevent dengue. He also urged the residents to wear full-sleeve clothes as an additional protective measure against mosquitoes, which are known to bite during the daytime.
The minister's visit was part of the govt's ongoing 'Har Shukarwar Dengue Te Vaar' campaign.
Highlighting the statewide efforts under the campaign, the minister said 20,000 ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers are actively inspecting homes across Punjab every Friday. These workers are tasked with identifying dengue larvae and educating communities about preventive steps, such as preventing water stagnation and maintaining hygiene in and around households.
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This concerted effort is part of a broader goal to reduce dengue cases by 90% this year, following a 50% reduction achieved last year compared to previous years, the minister said.
To strengthen the campaign further, Singh said schoolteachers are being trained to educate students about dengue prevention. This initiative aims to mobilise an army of 20 lakh school students to create awareness and assist in controlling the disease. In addition, every village in Punjab has set up a health committee with 15 members each, who are being trained to identify and eliminate dengue larvae, ensuring a grassroots-level response to the public health challenge, a health department statement said.
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