Gurugram MC gears up to combat vector-borne diseases

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, August 27

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has launched an awareness campaign on the detection and prevention on vector-borne diseases including dengue, malaria and chikungunya.

“Dengue is a major challenge and can be overcome only with collective participation,” said Dr Ashish Singla, Chief Medical Officer of the MCG, while appealing to residents to cooperate with the civic body's initiative.

Singla said the Aedes mosquito, which spreads dengue and chikungunya, bites during the day and breeds only in stagnant and clean water. “We can protect ourselves from these diseases by taking small precautions. Citizens should fill pits around their houses with soil, empty pots or other water-filled vessels and use these only after cleaning these with a cloth,” he said.

He asked the local residents to use mosquito nets, apply insect mosquito repellent creams and spray insecticides inside their houses in high-risk areas.

Singla urged residents to not throw away old items like tyres, tubes, empty cans and polythene bags in the open. He asked citizens to not let water get accumulated around hand pumps and taps.

Meanwhile, MCG Commissioner Narhari Singh Banger said efforts are being made to control such vector-borne diseases. More than 40 teams of the corporation were spraying black oil and medicines in hotspot areas along with fogging in the vulnerable areas and larvae were being checked in localities, he added.

“The civic body has 42 hand-mounted fogging machines, 10 vehicle-mounted fogging machines, 43 larvicide spray machines available,” Banger said.