Andhra Pradesh: Satya Directs Officials To Step Up Disease Control Measures

The minister reviewed seasonal disease control measures with district collectors, district medical and health officers and senior health department officials of the North Andhra region through a video conference from the Visakhapatnam Collectorate.

He said the monsoon season increases the risk of mosquito-borne diseases and called for heightened vigilance at the grassroots level. He directed health workers to conduct continuous surveillance in villages and urban wards, identify fever cases early and ensure prompt medical examination and treatment.

Satya Kumar instructed officials to identify high-risk areas prone to dengue, malaria and chikungunya outbreaks and implement special action plans. He stressed the need to strengthen preventive measures in tribal welfare hostels, social welfare hostels, residential schools and vulnerable villages through indoor residual spraying, fever surveys, fogging operations and mosquito control measures.

The minister also called for greater public awareness on hygiene and sanitation, urging village and ward secretariats, local bodies and panchayats to prevent water stagnation and ensure safe drinking water to curb the spread of infectious diseases.

He directed primary health centres, community health centres and district hospitals to maintain adequate stocks of medicines, diagnostic kits, rapid testing kits, intravenous fluids and platelet support facilities. He also called for daily monitoring of disease trends across districts.

Later, while participating in the Pulse Polio programme at the Bhavani Gardens urban primary health centre in Visakhapatnam, Satya Kumar appealed to parents to ensure that every child below the age of five received polio drops to help sustain India's polio-free status. He also administered polio drops to children.