Mangaluru: District Health and Family Officer Dr M Ramakrishna Rao has asked public to be very careful about the diseases like diarrhoea, typhoid fever, leptospirosis and hepatitis among others which are likely to spread after heavy rainfall.
Addressing the reporters here on Sunday, August 11, Rao said, “ people should give utmost importance to cleanliness and drink only boiled water. The water must be boiled for at least 20 minutes and people must avoid eating cut fruits available in the market.”
Informing about the dengue fever, which hit the district, Rao said that though the fever has come down now, source reduction activity should be continued.
“Though it is raining now, it will stop in the coming days and there is a possibility of larvae breeding in stagnant water. Hence, people should clear stagnant water and avoid mosquitoes breeding and laying eggs”, he stressed.
Meanwhile, he asked hoteliers and food outlets to serve only hot water to its customers. “ Maximum importance should be given to cleanliness to ensure no diseases spread in district”, he said.
Health department working with skeletal staff
Meanwhile, Rao lamented over the shortage of staff in the health department. “ Though 74 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are there in Dakshina Kannada district, only 63 PHCs have been functioning with minimum staff. The PHCs in Dharmastala, Indabettu, Koila, Thingalady, Suratkal, Jeppu, Panaje and Boliar are working only twice a week as health department deploys physicians and other staff on deputation. Though the required strength of women health assistants are 444 for the district, only 346 are working and the remaining 98 posts are vacant. Among 228 male junior health assistants, only 47 health assistants are working and remaining 181 posts are vacant. Only 27 lab technicians are working as against the actual strength of 87 lab technicians”, he said.