NAWABSHAH, Sept 13: The rain-struck denizens in various parts of the province are now sitting on a time bomb, which if not taken care of, would explode in various water-borne diseases particularly, malaria and dengue virus. Besides, the carcass of farm animals is yet another health threat.

MNA Faryal Talpur chairing a meeting of the Health Department of Benazirabad district directed its officials to take control of the situation before it was too late.

Threat of different ailments because of rapid growth of mosquitoes in towns and villages, incessant death of animals, insufficiency of manpower for distant areas and sub-standard anti-malarial spray are making it coming in way of quick and fast action, she complained.

The MNA asked the Sindh Health Secretary, Rizwan Ahmed to help in providing quality stuff for fogging and fumigation purposes along with arranging additional staff for carrying out precautionary health measures.

The powerful spray guns used by the growers for pesticides can be utilised for anti-malaria spray, as well, she said while suggesting training school teachers, vaccinators and officials of the Population Health Department to use these against mosquito menace.

She felt aghast over the death of a large number of animals and asked the EDO Health to ascertain the cause so as to cap the spread of diseases.

Though a number of teams are busy in burying animal carcass lying on roadsides and villages but still they need more manpower to prevent the spreading of diseases.

Secretary Health informed the participants that a tender had already been issued asking the WHO pre-qualified firms to provide `the best quality’ of medicines for using in sprays.

In a pro-active approach to control malaria and dengue fever, the department is all set to conduct house-to-house spray throughout the district.

However, the department, he said, was not in a position to spare additional staff as they were employed in carrying out different tasks but the entire malaria section staff and trainers would be deputed for instructing the villagers to conduct fumigation in their areas.

Four wheelers needed to access remote areas

The health secretary told reporters at Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences that the provincial health department was approaching far-flung areas through mobile units adding that shortage of four wheelers was being overcome through UNICEF/ UFP, WHO.

He said that a large number of pregnant women present in various relief camps and other areas were being brought to static camps by mobile units where they were being provided healthcare facilities.