In order to prevent outbreak of contagious disease during the
Monsoon, the Kochi Corporation will soon launch a pre-monsoon epidemic
prevention drive in the city.  Separate sanitation committees will be
formed  for each division to monitor the implementation of the programme
that the Corporation is planning to launch as part of the massive
campaign.

“We are planning to launch the pre-monsoon epidemic
prevention drive with the assistance of National Rural Health Mission
(NRHM. Special squads will be formed with Junior Public Health
Assistants as members. The major programmes charted under the drive are
awareness campaigns, medical camps and distribution of preventive
medicines,” said Mayor Tony Chammany.

The Mayor said that special
focus would be given to the areas where migrant labourers are living.
The Health Department of the Kochi corporation will also join the drive
to ensure that the areas populated with migrant workers have proper
garbage treatment facilities and that the labourers live under hygienic
conditions.

“There is a considerable rise in number of migrant
workers in Kochi and they usually prefer to live in groups. The chances
for epidemic outbreak is high in such areas where we plan to organise
homeo medical camps,” the Mayor said.

Chammany said that the
pre-monsoon sanitation measures should not be treated as the 
responsibility of the Corporation alone. The  public should also
participate in it actively to make the Corporation’s initiative a
success. “We will seek the help of office-bearers of various residents’
associations to successfully implement our plans. Preventive medicines
will be distributed to various apartment complexes with the help of 
associations. Kudumbasree members will also be roped in to offer support
for the civic body,” Chammany said.

The cleanliness of
surroundings is also important. “We will intensify the cleaning drive in
water sources and other areas. The cleaning work of most of the small
canals in various divisions is over. We will also instruct the
councillors to make sure that residents observe ‘dry day’ once a month.
It can be decided by the ward committees. The residents will be
requested to keep the premises dry,” he said.