Delhi govt to tackle vector-borne disease with #10Hafte10Baje10Din anti-dengue campaign from 1 September

Delhi government’s aggressive anti-dengue campaign ‘#10Hafte10Baje10Din’ will be organised this year from 1 September to mobilise the support of people in combating vector-borne diseases, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Tuesday. The Arvind Kejriwal government-led campaign in 2019 was supported by a number of celebrities, public personalities, including cricket legend Kapil Dev and a number of Bollywood actors and senior journalists. Interacting with reporters, he said the results of the latest sero-prevalence survey for a comprehensive assessment of COVID-19 situation in Delhi, which was conducted in the first week of August, is expected to come out this week. “Our anti-dengue campaign last year proved to be a great help in combating dengue and other vector-borne diseases. This year too, we will reach out to the people to mobilise their support in containing cases of dengue. So, ‘10Hafte10Baje10Din’ campaign will be conducted this year too, starting 1 September,” Jain said. The Delhi government had also partnered with RWAs and civil society last year to drive home the point about taking precautions at home every Sunday for 10 minutes that can help ward off dengue, malaria and chikungunya. At least 48 cases of malaria and 41 of dengue have been reported in the national capital this year till 15 August, according to a municipal report released on Monday. Recently, the commissioner of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) had issued an advisory on prevention and control of vector-borne diseases. According to data shared by the SDMC, the nodal agency that tabulates data on vector-borne diseases for the entire city, 10 cases of dengue have been reported in August. Dengue mosquito larvae breed in clear, standing water, while those of malaria thrive even in dirty water. Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, but the period may stretch till mid-December. Designated nodal officers of these institutions must ensure that there is no artificial water collection in open grounds, roofs of buildings, flower pots etc. Also, overhead tanks should be emptied, covered and locked, the municipal advisory had said. Unused vehicles like school or college buses should be covered and parked in covered spaces to prevent water collection inside, it said. All coolers should be scrubbed and cleaned once a week and mopped dry before refilling. In coolers that cannot be emptied, one tablespoon of tempos granules or a few drops of petrol should be put, the advisory said. Unused or broken bottles, plastic cups, pots and tyres etc. that can hold water should not be left in the open, it said.