Varanasi: A month-long special communicable disease control campaign will be conducted in the district from April 1 to 30, with a focused Dastak campaign scheduled from April 10 to 30 to curb mosquito-borne and other infectious diseases.The decision was taken during a District Task Force meeting held at the Collectorate under the chairmanship of DM Satyendra Kumar. The campaign will target diseases such as dengue, malaria, filariasis, TB, encephalitis, leprosy and kala-azar through coordinated efforts of multiple departments led by the health department.The DM emphasised that effective control of communicable diseases requires strong inter-departmental coordination. He directed departments like Panchayati Raj and Rural Development to intensify cleanliness drives, carry out larvicidal spraying and fogging, repair damaged hand pumps, clean drains and ponds, and remove weeds and bushes to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.Based on data from the past five years, several urban wards under Nagar Nigam and 69 rural villages have been identified as high-risk zones. Officials have been instructed to conduct special surveillance in these areas and ensure vector control measures, including cold fogging, in both rural and urban regions.The administration has also integrated heatwave preparedness into the campaign. Measures include ensuring availability of safe drinking water at crowded places, setting up shelters, displaying weather updates at key locations, and spreading awareness about protection from heat-related illnesses, especially among school students.The DM further directed the City Health Officer and Nagar Nigam to conduct widespread awareness campaigns through miking, particularly in slum and densely populated areas. Focus will be on sanitation, prevention of waterlogging, insecticide spraying, and eliminating mosquito breeding sites.
