Chennai: Stung by criticism of its handling of dengue and other vector-borne diseases, the Chennai corporation has responded by setting up a health education wing to create increased awareness among the public.
During last week’s council meet, the corporation adopted a resolution and promoted a sanitary officer to head the wing. The post of health education officer was created following a Municipal Administration and Water Supply department Government Order dated November 5.
The officer, T.G. Srinivasan, will work from the Ripon Buildings and will report to the city health officer. Srinivasan holds a doctorate in social science and public health from the University of Madras.
“Earlier, the responsibility of educating and creating awareness was an additional burden on sanitary and zonal health officers,” a senior official noted. Resident welfare associations, schools and colleges can now look forward to working closely with the local body.
Officials said that the priority will be to start from areas which had the highest instances of communicable and vector-borne diseases. “The success of the project depends on public cooperation,” said a health officer.
Recalling how field workers faced problems when trying to sanitise areas inhabited by affluent communities, the official said that this sort of an outreach programme will sensitise home-owners on the seriousness of taking preventive steps.
On the academic material that the wing would utilise to educate students, officials said that a decision has not been made as the wing is yet to start functioning. “We will have different material to educate different categories of the society that we are trying to reach out to,” an official added.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
