Admin forms team to control Japanese Encephalitis
AMPATI: Even as South West Garo Hills gears up to tackle the threat posed by Japanese Encephalitis which has already claimed a life in the area, the district lacks a fogging machine required to spray malathion, an insecticide which can control mosquitoes.
South West Deputy Commissioner, Ram Singh, who chaired an emergency meeting at his office on Friday in which a Rapid Response Team (RRT) to prevent and control Japanese Encephalitis was constituted, said he would try to procure a fogging machine at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the Rapid Response Team (RRT) that was constituted has the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, District Medical & Health Officer and District Vector Borne Disease Control Officer, district officers of the line departments like AH & Veterinary, Agriculture, Soil, Fisheries, Social Forestry and the BDOs and CDPOs of Zikzak and Betasing blocks besides others as members.
District Vector Borne Disease Control Officer in charge South West Garo Hills, Dr Ivonne Sangma apprised the meeting about the medical emergency arising out of the death of a woman from Dombagre village under Zikzak due to Japanese Encephalitis and 38 confirmed cases in the State.
Sangma said that although preventive measures are being taken, the disease can be controlled more effectively through inter-departmental coordination and community participation.
Since Japanese Encephalitis spreads through the bite of culex mosquitoes that mostly breed in paddy fields, it was decided in the meeting that gambusia (mosquito fish) that feed on mosquito larvae would be released in the fields and ponds of the district.
The meeting was also informed that fogging with malathion can control mosquitoes, but the district was yet to have a fogging machine. Deputy Commissioner, Ram Singh, assured that he would try to procure a fogging machine with funds at his disposal.
