Epidemic management in Koraput- A successful approach

           Koraput along with other KBK districts is highly prone to diseases like diarrhea, Malaria and Anthrax. Every year many people die due to these diseases and sometimes it takes the form of epidemic. Main reasons for the spreading of these diseases is use of contaminated water for consumption, faulty food habits due to lack of food security, unhygienic and uncleanly environment along with marshy and muddy villages and lack of awareness about the diseases. Small outbreak sometimes takes the shape of epidemic due to lack of proper medical care and inaccessibility of the locations.

         Keeping these facts into mind a timely preparation was done in the district to create awareness from the month of May. Meetings of Asha and Anganwadi workers along with PRI members was organized in all the blocks with district level officers attending the meetings to encourage and access the preparedness of the block for the monsoon period. I have myself attended the meetings in Laxmipur, Dasmantpur and Narayanpatna Block which are infamous for Anthrax and diarrhea. Role of Asha , AWW and ANM along with the responsibility of GKS was clearly highlighted and the tasks were divided. The availability of drugs was reviewed since beginning for all sub centers and PHC/CHCs. Second focus was given on IRS campaign i.e. Individual Residual Spraying of DDT in the first round. It was done in a campaign mode involving NGOs, Watershed committees and all PRI members. Efforts were made to make the action plan for IRS known to everybody so that anyone can check the effectiveness of the spraying. One independent monitor was engaged along with district machinery to have effective supervision. This proved to be phenomenal success and the spraying was as high as 80% for the block like Boipariguda. The field staff including the spraying supervisor, MO, MTS took lots of pain to make this endeavor success. Since IRS is the most effective tool in the prevention of malaria it made huge impact.

            For taking message to every home a small film was made in Deshia bhasa on diarrhea, Maleria and Anthrax to drive the message in every tribal house in the district. This film was displayed in all tribal HATs, where almost all tribal pay visits. As a part of this drive a health coordinator and associate health coordinator was selected in every SSD school in advance before the launch of School Health Programe and they were trained in administering drugs for diarrhea and Maleria. A successful effort was made to conduct the health check of all the students in these institutions in the month of July ensuring availability of drugs in every school.

        Finally, the effective response mechanism was put in place and regular review was done every fortnightly in the MIS cum Nodal meetings at GP, Block and District level making the attendance of Health officials compulsory in these meetings. This helped in getting the information about number of defunct tube wells, availability of drugs, analysis of death cases and response therein. The Citizen TOLLFREE helpline helped in getting some crucial information on time. Lastly, when the outbreak was detected at Pipalpadar in Laxmipur and Bandamaliguda in koraput block the rank and file of the administration jumped to ensure that the casualties are minimized and necessary steps are taken without delay.

       It was a collective effort and the credit shall go to all the ASHAs, AWWs , PRIs and the Medical Establishment ; particularly the dynamic medical officers who took it a challenge to keep the figure all time low. I fully extend my gratitude and thanks to all off them.