In this regard, the District Department of Health, under the Hyderabad Collectorate has indicated that areas in the Old City and Eastern parts of Hyderabad are presently being viewed as ‘high risk’ areas for water and mosquito related diseases.

As part of its anti-mosquito campaign, the Health Department has roped in the GHMC, along with Entomologists from the Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM) in conducting locality-based door to door surveys for identification of high risk areas in the light of the rainy season in the core areas of the Hyderabad District. Meanwhile spokespersons at the District Medical Health Department informed that a special sensitisation drive has also been initiated this week, which would be supplemented by DDT fogging drives by the District Health Department officials.

Health Officials also informed that road side bandis, along with households in Doodhibowli, Narayanguda and Prakashamnagar have been approached by Health officials, who spoke to them about sanitation and water stagnation issues as part of the sensitisation drive.

The District Medical Health Official, Ch Jayakumari revealed that “as part of the sensitisation campaign, 150 slums across the Twin Cities have been identified as being particularly prone to waterborne and mosquito related diseases, in lieu of which seven health camps have been held across the City on Friday.” In this regard, 4 Hepatitis B and 21 Waterborne Jaundice cases have been registered at Government Hospitals, in a screening conducted by the District Health Department.

Sources at the Health Department further noted that chlorination tests of potable water have been conducted in parts of the City, with the help of the Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HWSSB). Water Board officials in this regard would be “looking into issues concerning leaks and breakages in the domestic water supply channels.” Indicating that the District Health Authorities have started fogging operations in parts of the city, Health Officials noted that “the operation would be restructured in order to approach the issues related to stagnating water around residential structures from the local level.” The District Medical Health Department in this regard is presently in the process of engaging action groups in coordination with the local committees in the Twin Cities, to kickstart the DDT fogging and awareness generation action plan.

While weekly awareness camps are presently underway at areas like Agapura, Jiyaguda and the residential belts surrounding Koti, District Health Officials warned that “caution needs to be exerted to ensure that places of mass congregation like temples, which risks containing stagnating water and waste pockets should be regularly maintained by the respective authorities, since they are potential sites for mosquito breeding.”