Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara: The threat of epidemic looms large in flood battered Bhojpur district as about four dozen cases of diarrhoea have so far been reported from six blocks: Ara, Barhara, Koelwar, Bihia, Udwantnagar and Shahpur in the district.
Civil Surgeon (CS) Dr Ras Bihari Singh said that there was possibility of spread of infectious diseases in the areas which were inundated by rivers Ganga and Sone. He said that the health directorate had asked him to remain extremely alert for at least a week more in the Ganga riparian areas. He said with th flood water receding, the flood affected areas have become vulnerable to spread of diseases like diarrhoea, vector borne diseases like Malaria and Dengue, fungal infections and skin ailments.
Dr Shashi Rai, Disaster management department, Patna, said that the directorate in view of the impending danger, has issued an advisory to the CS asking him to take all possible precautions to prevent and control the infections. The health directorate has also directed the CS to re-operationalize all Additional Primary Health Centres (APHCs) and Sub-Centres, which had been closed in the flood affected areas, with necessary equipments and medicines including water purifier tablets, anti-rabies vaccines and anti-venom injections. The health directorate has asked the DM and CS to provide for medicines at PHCs, APHCs and health camps.