Latest news with #Mahatme
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
June dengue cases fall to 10 from 60 in 2024
Panaji/Canacona: Goa recorded 10 dengue cases in June 2025 compared to 60 in the same month last year. In the Jan-June period this year, Goa registered 43 dengue cases; in the corresponding period last year, the figure was 176. 'Various pre-monsoon measures taken to stop the spread of dengue mosquitoes have proved effective so far,' said Dr Kalpana Mahatme, in charge of Goa's vector-borne disease control programme. Last year, Goa reported 567 dengue cases and three mortalities. The uptick was largely due to unsafe water storage practices. So, health workers were trained to take measures and educate people. 'A long-term action plan was deployed for the prevention and control of both dengue and chikungunya,' Mahatme said. 'We focused on curbing the breeding of the dengue-spreading mosquito, Aedes aegypti.' Mahatme said that of the 34 health centres in the state, 32 have hatcheries to breed fish such as guppies, which are released into wells, ponds, and lakes to control the breeding of mosquitoes. The state's community health centres contribute to the implementation of the strategies of the National Centre for Vector-Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) at the local level. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo by Taboola by Taboola For instance, the Canacona CHC conducted a surveillance programme on Tuesday at Palolem in which the locals were educated to clear stagnant water in their vicinity. Sanitary inspector Pranay Naik told locals about the sites where water gathers and facilitates the breeding of mosquitoes. Water can accumulate in unused tyres, open containers, and coconut shells, among other receptacles. Naik said locals should ensure that water does not collect, which will help control the breeding of the vectors of many diseases. The NVBDCP aims to reduce the burden of vector-borne diseases, with targets for reducing morbidity and mortality and eventually eliminating certain diseases.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Fewer dengue cases this year as new control strategies employed
Panaji: A change in strategy has helped the health services bring down the non-seasonal incidence of dengue this year. It reported just four cases this May — one each from Mapusa, Cansarvarnem and Colvale in North Goa and from Margao in South Goa — as against the 21 cases logged during May last year. The significant drop in infections is also reflected in the 33 dengue cases recorded from Jan to May this year when compared to the 116 cases reported during the same period last year, deputy director and nodal officer for the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, Dr Kalpana Mahatme, told TOI . An early start and comprehensive mapping of hotspots and places that reported upsurges of dengue last year helped the health services keep a close check on these areas. It has also started tyre collection drives and has advised people not to use tyres to hold down the plastic sheets on their roofs, but to use stones and other items in which water does not collect. 'We found dengue cases in Bhatulem, St Inez, Aivao and Taleigao, among other areas, last year, but couldn't identify the source of breeding until we saw water collecting on the tyres on roofs,' Mahatme said. The health department has also been coordinating with local bodies to get workers and trucks to collect water receptacles, scrap and other items, in an attempt to prevent mosquito breeding. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tukarkan Bitcoin dan Ethereum - Tanpa Dompet Diperlukan! IC Markets MULAI SEKARANG Undo 'In the past, our workers would collect these items, but the local bodies wouldn't get them picked up on time, and they would be lying there for days. This time, we have coordinated to ensure that these are picked up and that the area is cleared of the items the moment we collect them,' she said. Advocacy workshops for nodal officers of each department to explain their role in battling dengue have also started. In schools, Mahatme said, nodal officers are identifying students as health ambassadors to spread the message to keep the area free of mosquitoes. The health department also instructed its centres to investigate fever cases where health workers survey the areas to ensure there's no mosquito breeding. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
India Today
03-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
Why it's drone war against dengue, malaria in Goa
The Goa government, in a new strategy against vector-borne diseases dengue and malaria, is planning to use drones to identify mosquito-breeding sites and take measures to control them. Two high-risk sites—one urban and one rural—will be identified in North Goa and South Goa for the research study, which is planned to be scaled up to cover the state, depending on the outcomes.'This will help us reach overhead tanks of buildings and roof gutters where there is water leakage and stagnation (leading to breeding of mosquitoes). There have been instances where we have reported cases but breeding sites have not been observed as we have been unable to reach them,' said Dr Kalpana Mahatme, state programme officer and deputy director of the National Vector Borne Diseases Control project is being undertaken with the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Goa branch, and will cover two urban pockets and two primary health centres (PHCs) in rural areas, which are high-risk places due to incidences of will be used to identify breeding sites and spray insecticide. The procurement of four drones is in process. 'Once we get good results, we will scale it up all over Goa,' explained Mahatme. Goa is witnessing rapid urbanisation with a spurt in the development of highrises and residential complexes. It may be difficult to access some parts of these buildings where mosquitoes may breed. People also travel from remote areas to cities for work, and may end up being carriers of dengue and 2022, Goa reported 443 cases of dengue and one fatality. This rose to 512 cases and three deaths in 2023, and 567 cases and three deaths in said they were also planning an app-based research study with the NIMR for tracking the movement of migrant labour to prevent malaria. Under this, the contractors will have to install an app on the phones of labourers to help the department track their movements and enable the local PHC staff and those from the NIMR to conduct rapid tests and blood case of positive cases, it will help track the movements of these workers. According to the Goa Public Health Act, 1985, it is mandatory for all construction workers, especially migrant workers, to be screened for malaria and other diseases. They must also be given a health card issued by the public health department. Any violation by the contractors entails a fine of Rs 10, indigenous cases of malaria (those among the local population) have been nil for the past two years. Goa, however, has imported cases from other states due to the migrant population that flocks to the coastal state from Karnataka, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and 2022, Goa had two cases of malaria and no deaths. In 2023 and 2024, there were no positive cases and no fatalities. The state has not reported any malaria deaths since 2018. Goa is targeting the elimination of malaria by to India Today Magazine
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
First confirmed dengue case to be treated by Goa DHS as upsurge
Panaji: The health department is intensifying efforts to combat dengue after last year's casualties, with Dr Kalpana Mahatme, deputy director and nodal officer of the state's National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, emphasising the need for community cooperation . The department has developed a multi-dimensional strategy to battle dengue and keep casualties at zero. After seeing remote villages hit with dengue because of people travelling to urban areas to work and taking the virus back home, the health department has implemented a new approach this year--treating the first suspected dengue case confirmed through rapid testing as an upsurge to prevent its spread. 'If there's an imported case and there's mosquito breeding, we will get more cases. If the vector is destroyed and if there are no breeding sites, then we will not get a second case in the area,' said Mahatme. Personal protective measures are crucial during the rainy season, including wearing long sleeves, long pants, and applying mosquito repellent. 'Simple steps of checking and cleaning your surroundings for potential mosquito breeding sites and covering stored water with an airtight lid or tightly with a cloth can go a long way in preventing a dengue upsurge,' said Mahatme. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gạch lát sàn cao su không cần keo – xu hướng mới nhất tại Việt Nam! Gạch | Quảng cáo tìm kiếm Tìm Ngay Undo The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which carries dengue, can breed in as little as 5ml of water, such as in bottle caps, coconut shells, tyres, flowerpot plates, and refrigerator trays. 'Dengue-carrying mosquitoes breed close to us - in and around our houses. It's impossible for health workers to enter people's homes and colonies to check for mosquito breeding,' Mahatme stated. The health department recommends using guppy fish, available free at health centres, for wells, aquatic fountains, and plants as a preventive measure. Mahatme dismissed common misconceptions spread through WhatsApp messages about dengue mosquitoes. 'The dengue and chikungunya transmitting Aedes aegypti mosquito is a day-biter and can bite any exposed part of the body. Applying coconut oil or other oils which don't have any properties that repel mosquitoes will not protect you from being bitten,' she said. The health department has been actively conducting source reduction drives to eliminate potential breeding sites. They are also implementing fever surveys and public awareness sessions about dengue. Areas that experienced an upsurge of cases last year have been mapped for focused attention this year, following the National Dengue Day theme of 'Check, Clean, Cover: Steps to Defeat Dengue'. The department continues to emphasize that preventing dengue requires simple steps rather than complex solutions, urging residents to maintain vigilance in checking their surroundings and taking necessary precautions.
