UP health department to observe every Sunday as 'anti-mosquito dry day'

Lucknow: In a bid to spread awareness about mosquito-borne diseases and expand the cover of preventive measures, the Uttar Pradesh health department will observe every Sunday as ‘anti-mosquito dry day’. [caption id=“attachment_3790263” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. PTI[/caption] The department has already started a campaign, which runs on every Sunday titled ‘Har Ravivaar, Machhar par Vaar’ (every Sunday attack on mosquitoes). “The most important preventive aspect of dengue is to ensure that there is no accumulation of water in the vicinity of houses. Dengue mosquitoes breed in fresh water.” “The larvae and pupa become full grown mosquitoes in a span of two weeks. If water is changed within a week, then chances of dengue mosquitoes breeding gets minimised,” UP health minister Sidhartha Nath Singh said in Lucknow in a statement. He said the Uttar Pradesh health department will observe every Sunday as ‘anti-mosquito dry day’. “Mosquitoes get active from July to December. During this period, it is advisable to wear full sleeve clothes and use mosquito nets and mosquito repellents,” the UP minister said. Singh said the health department has been directed to reserve at least 10 beds in every government hospital to cater to dengue patients. “A fever help desk has been established. As many as 37 laboratories have been established in the state to conduct various tests pertaining to dengue. The government has also made functional 39 blood component separation units,” he said. A district-level co-ordination committee under the district magistrate has been constituted. “A teacher in a school has been made health educator, so that he/she could impart training to students about preventive measures,” he said.