Water and vector-borne diseases see an all-time high during the monsoon season and it is only natural for the health department to be on the vigil. The approach to crisis management in the context of dengue has always been to focus extensively on treatment. But there's always a better sense in preventing the disease than treating dengue. As the common breeding grounds for mosquitoes are man-made containers and stagnant water, implementing few hygiene and sanitation measures might help to prevent the disease. Why Some People Are More Prone To Dengue Fever Than The Others? Expert Speaks.

Measures You Should Take To Prevent Dengue

  • Remember to clean out empty flower pots and not to over water potted plants. It is advised to not have any stagnant water around as it acts as a breeding ground for the mosquitoes.

  • Always sleep under a mosquito net (especially small children as they sleep during the day and hence, the chance of mosquito bite is high during this time).

  • Using camphor as a repellent also works wonders. Light camphor in a room and close all the doors and windows. Leave it this way for about fifteen to twenty minutes to have a mosquito-free environment.

  • Make sure your window and door screens do not have any holes. If so, block those areas properly to eliminate mosquitoes.

  • Turn over empty pails and buckets, so that they do not collect excess water.  If the container that contains water cannot be emptied, remember to cover it well when not in use.

Measures to control dengue and haemorrhagic fever shouldn’t be the responsibility of only citizens. States that have an alarming number of dengue cases should be more vigilant. Health ministry and state administrations should work closely with NGOs to sensitise clinics in government and private sectors about dengue.

Health ministry and state administrations should work closely with NGOs to sensitise clinics in government and private sectors about dengue. Health facilities should be kept ready for surge capacity at the out-patient and in-patient levels so that patients can visit and consult doctors in a timely manner.

On the curative side, clinics and other health facilities should be equipped with trained manpower and regents for conducting tests for dengue virus, and human resources for counselling patients.

Availability of sufficient public health staff should be ensured to visit communities to check mosquito breeding sites, conduct fogging and take other preventive measures.

Senior officials should direct government offices and hospitals to maintain cleanliness and clear scrap materials from their premises to prevent the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 08, 2019 05:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).