Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj held a high-level meeting with all stakeholder departments to review the preparedness of the state to tackle vector-borne diseases such as dengue during the monsoon and directed them to take the strictest steps to prevent the diseases.
Officials from the departments of Health Department, MCD, NDMC, Delhi Jal Board, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Education etc were present in the meeting.
Bhardwaj acknowledged that there is a high incidence of dengue fever in children and thus, he directed the Directorate of Education and Municipal Corporation of Delhi to take targeted action to safeguard children from vector borne diseases.
He also directed the Directorate of Education and Municipal Corporation of Delhi to inform all the schools managed by them to ensure full sleeves clothing and full sleeves uniform to be worn by the students to prevent mosquito bites and possible vector borne diseases.
The Delhi government will also be taking the help of government school children to attack dengue. School children will be responsible for spreading awareness and for checking their homes for stagnant water.
The Directorate of Education and Municipal Corporation of Delhi are asked to direct private and government schools to provide ‘Dengue Homework Cards’ to help monitor their homes. The Delhi Health Minister also called for community participation by conducting awareness campaigns and developing information communication materials.
During the meeting it came to light that the dengue mosquito, the vector for dengue virus, is generally active during the day and commonly bites on ankles and elbows. Considering that the incidence of dengue fever is higher in children, Bhardwaj directed the Directorate of Education and Municipal Corporation of Delhi to issue directions to all schools run by these agencies to ensure that children wear full sleeves dress or full clothing till November 2023 to protect them from mosquito bites and prevent dengue in Delhi.
According to the direction given, students will be asked to wear school uniforms consisting of full sleeves shirts/blouses and trousers/skirts with slacks. Students may also be allowed to wear any clothes consisting of full sleeves shirt/ blouse and trousers/slacks, in case school uniform in full sleeves is not available with the student.
On behalf of the Delhi government, the school children of Delhi will be involved in the prevention of dengue on a large scale. The Delhi Health Minister said that children can be very effective in spreading awareness. MCD and the Education Department of Delhi Government were directed to give school children a card in which they would complete their ‘dengue homework.
The card should be filled by their parents and the cards will be collected at school. This homework will be checked every week and the cards will be returned to the students so they can undertake an inspection again. Children and parents will mention measures taken by them to prevent waterlogging in their homes and surrounding areas. The Education Department will ensure that dengue homework is done in MCD, Delhi government and all private schools in Delhi.
