Awareness drive begins in diarrhoea-hit Balongi

Mohali, July 18

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh today launched an awareness drive in Balongi to prevent diarrhoea and cholera outbreak.

Medical students and interns of the Ambedkar Institute of Medical Sciences, Mohali, and nursing students of other colleges participated in the initiative of the Health and Family Welfare Department to protect residents from waterborne and vector-borne diseases. Distribution of 2.5 lakh chlorine tablets in the Balongi and Badmajra areas also began today.

As many as 21 check-up camps were conducted in the district today, said the minister. An ambulance was also flagged off from Balongi to provide medical assistance in diarrhoea-affected areas.

Meanwhile, 15 cases of cholera have been reported from the district. Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said about 4,000 people reached the 22 relief centres set up during recent floods. “Alternative chlorinated water supply continues in the affected areas. Apart from giving Rs 5 lakh from the State Disaster Relief Fund to the Health Department for purchasing necessary stock of chlorine tablets, zinc pills and ORS pouches, bottled water was also being provided,” she said. — TNS

84 admitted to Mohali hospitals

As many as 84 patients of diarrhoea are undergoing treatment at government hospitals in the district, including 70 at Mohali district hospital, eight at Dera Bassi, four at Kurali and one each at Kharar and Dhakoli. While bottled water is being provided to residents of affected areas, SMOs have been directed to complete the distribution of chlorine tablets by Wednesday. The Water Supply and Sanitation Department has been asked to check the pipelines of the affected areas thoroughly to identify and fix the points where water is getting contaminated.