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Gandhinagar, Nov 2 (IANS) In view of untimely rains across Gujarat, Health and Family Welfare Minister Prafulla Pansheriya chaired a high-level meeting to review preventive steps against possible outbreak of vector and water-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, malaria and typhoid.
Chairing a meeting with senior officials of the health department in Gandhinagar, Minister Pansheriya said that all primary health centers (PHCs), community health centers (CHCs) and government hospitals across the state have been equipped with adequate stocks of essential medicines and health facilities to deal with any surge in seasonal diseases.
The minister emphasized that the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is fully committed to protecting public health during adverse weather conditions.
Continuous and result-oriented measures are being implemented by the Health Department to prevent the spread of waterborne and airborne diseases arising from stagnant water and humid conditions after recent rainfall.
Highlighting another concern, Pansheriya warned that incidents of snake and scorpion bites increase during the rainy season as these creatures come out of the ground in large numbers. He appealed to the farmers and residents not to rely on superstition in such cases but seek immediate medical help at the nearest government hospital or health centre.
The Minister directed all health facilities and 108 medical vans to maintain adequate stock of anti-venom and essential emergency medicines.
Additional Chief Secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi, Health Commissioner (Rural) Dr Ratankunwar Gadvicharan, Deputy Director Neelam Patel and other senior officials of the department were present at the meeting, which reviewed the preparedness and discussed coordinated field-level action to prevent the spread of diseases after the rains.
Unseasonal rains have continued in many parts of Gujarat for the last 24 hours, affecting crops and rural areas.
According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, rainfall was recorded in 112 talukas across the state, with Dhandhuka in Ahmedabad district receiving the highest rainfall of 2.48 inches. Porbandar also received 2.2 inches of rain, while Lodhika in Rajkot and Sankheda in Chhota Udepur recorded more than 1.5 inches of rain.
More than 20 talukas received about 1 inch of rainfall, while many others received light rainfall averaging half an inch.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that light to moderate rain is likely to continue in some parts of the state till November 5.
A system that had developed over the Arabian Sea and was initially moving towards Gujarat has now weakened, reducing the risk of heavy rainfall. However, cloudy and humid conditions are expected to persist for a few more days.
–IANS
janvi/pgh