Every year, thousands of people across the country get affected by diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, dengue, kalajar and other communicable diseases, which becomes a nuisance to the MoHP. [break]
The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) under the department of Health Services (DoHS) said that the office has issued an alert a week ago to all health institutions across the country, asking them to be prepared for a possible outbreak of the diseases.
The office has also asked the health offices to inform it if they lacked manpower. “We have accelerated necessary preparation to deal with the possible challenges in the upcoming monsoon,” GD Thakur, director of EDCD, said. He said that the office will request the ministry to arrange additional employees at health institutions that have been reeling under manpower shortage.
Dr Thakur said that the office will suspend leaves of health workers in the monsoon as usual.
The office has been providing disaster management training to health workers across the country to deal with the challenges. “We trained health workers in 42 districts.
Health workers of remaining districts will also get training soon,” added Dr Thakur. The office claimed that necessary medicines have been sent to the health institutions. He also said that the EDCD has sought additional medicines with the Logistic Management Division (LMD).
Officials said that the LMD has been procuring medicines recommended by the EDCD.
“We have asked health institutions to be prepared for rapid response at local level. Such teams have been prepared at community level,” said Dr Thakur.
People of the community will be given necessary training to deal with disasters. He said that such teams would be formed at VDC, regional and central levels. The office has also planned to take assistance of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working at the local level.
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