Govt, Unicef gear up to contain diseases in Bihar

PATNA: The Bihar Government and the UNICEF have taken special measures for tackling gastroenteritis, malaria, dengue and leptospirosis which are likely to break out due to floods affecting over 1.10 crore people in the state.

For this, mobile medical relief teams have been deployed in the affected districts, UNICEF sources said. Each relief team comprises two doctors.

In emergency like floods, immunising children against measles through supplemental immunisation activities was among the most cost-effective ways of preventing measles-related deaths. In this respect, measles vaccination was being carried out in flood affected areas of selected blocks, they said.

"It is necessary to build up a system of early case detection and management within the community by immediate community mobilisation. For this, field-level volunteers and workers are being oriented and sensitised to report any suspected cases of dengue, leptospirosis, gastro-enteritis, measles etc," said Job Zachariah, officer-in-charge, UNICEF Bihar.

"Health workers have been instructed to advise the community to visit the respective PHCs or medical relief camps if they suffer from any ailment. The health department along with UNICEF is taking all necessary measures to provide services to all flood-affected" Deepak Kumar, state health secretary, said.