Odisha govt deputes four teams to diarrhoea-hit districts

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government Tuesday deputed four state-level teams to diarrhoea-affected districts to oversee field-level activities and support containment efforts, a top health official said.

State Health Secretary Aswathi S told reporters that the teams comprise senior officers, experts, and advisers from the Health and Family Welfare Department.

The teams will visit Bhubaneswar, Banki, Dhamnagar, Badachana, and Bhandaripokhari to inspect diarrhoea control measures and strengthen coordination among various departmental teams working at the grassroots level, she said.

Their responsibilities include monitoring water source purification, conducting house-to-house campaigns, ensuring early detection and primary treatment of patients, distributing medicines and halogen tablets door-to-door, conducting public awareness drives, and providing targeted technical support, she added.

Aswathi said the situation caused by water-borne diarrhoea, observed in some parts of the state, is gradually improving.

She said only 300 new cases—mostly mild—were reported Tuesday from the five affected districts.

She further stated that both the central and state governments are continuing their joint efforts to eliminate the disease. In the meantime, additional medical supplies, medicine kits, and awareness leaflets have been dispatched to the affected areas, and field-level awareness campaigns have been intensified.

The Health Secretary also stated that the three central teams visiting the districts have ruled out the possibility of an epidemic.

She said the central teams will conclude their visit Tuesday and are scheduled to hold discussions with senior state officials Wednesday to determine further containment measures.

UNI

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