The District Public Health Office (DPHO) launched the operation with the help of municipality so that dengue does not spread as it did last year. [break]
Locals and DPHO volunteers are involved in the operation. From Saturday, a door-to-door awareness campaign and drying up of areas where the mosquito can breed was conducted.
“To protect ourselves from dengue, we are searching for and destroying pupa of the mosquito,” said Sharmila Rupakheti of Bharatpur.
Rita Shrestha of Narayangadh said, “Last year, all of us were admitted to hospital after taking ill. This time, we are killing the mosquitoes to make sure that does not happen.”
Last year, dengue killed four people, while high fever caused by mosquito bite killed 19.
A total of 731 people confirmed with dengue were treated at various hospitals in Chitwan.
Last year, even the army was mobilized in towns of Chitwan to control dengue spread.
This year round, locals of Bharatpur and Ratnanagar municipalities are searching for and destroying dengue mosquitoes. They are targeting water puddles and other places where the pupa and larva can be present.
Locals say they are finding a lot of mosquitoes, possibly because it is raining these days.
“Last year, insecticide was used to kill mosquitoes,” said Ram KC, vector controller of DPHO. “But that affected the environment. This time we are just conducting search and destroy operation,” he added.
In the operation, there is participation from women volunteers, police and students as well.
Chitwan DPHO said 266 volunteers from Bharatpur and 160 volunteers from Ratnagar have been mobilized.
“If mosquitoes around residences are destroyed, dengue can be significantly controlled,” said DPHO chief Kedar Singh Godar. “Mobilizing locals helps spread this awareness,” he added.
Meanwhile, hospitals in Chitwan are prepared for a possible dengue outbreak. Chitwan DPHO said emergency services and kits used to detect dengue are all ready for service.
In Bharatpur, the municipality has urged retailers of tires and tubes as well as locals to make sure that there is no water collection on discarded tubes and tires.
Bharatpur is the most populous town of Chitwan. Last year, most of the dengue patients were from Bharatpur.
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