The Hindu 31.08.2013
Now, one malaria worker for every 500 houses in Chennai city
A rise in mosquito density in a number of neighbourhoods
has forced the Chennai Corporation to allocate one malaria worker for
every 500 households in the city.
Following a meeting
on Tuesday, each of the malaria workers has been provided with a list
of addresses for targeted mosquito control operations.
“The
malaria workers will shoulder responsibility of mosquito control in
each of the houses. If a resident complains about mosquitoes in any of
the houses, the malaria worker concerned will be responsible. The worker
will have to screen all 500 households in a week,” said an official.
These
instructions have been given in the wake of a rise in malaria cases in
some zones. Royapuram, with 150 malaria cases and Teynampet with 140
cases in the past 50 days, have become a cause for concern. George Town,
Korrukupet and Mylapore have also reported several cases.
Though other areas had fewer cases, calls to the helpline 1913 about mosquitoes in these zones, has remained high.
As
many as 3,000 malaria workers will have lists of door numbers of 15
lakh households in the city. The Corporation has also asked residents’
associations to talk to the workers concerned to make use of the new
system. The workers will remove mosquito breeding sources in any
household that reports high mosquito density.
The
Corporation will use the services of another 200 malaria workers to
prevent breeding of mosquitoes in stormwater drains, canals or other
water bodies.