Kerala government on Sunday appealed to the people to join the government’s mass sanitation drive on a war footing after more than 100 deaths were reported since January in Kerala due to numerous types of fevers.
As many as 103 people, including women and children, succumbed to several types of fevers including H1N1, leptospirosis, and dengue from January till date, as per the Health Department sources, reported HT. Of the total 103 deaths, 53 people have died of H1N1 and 13 owing to dengue, the sources said.
Increase in mosquitoes thanks to piling of waste is seen as the key reason behind fever and other communicable diseases, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. Social hygiene was vital to keep diseases at bay, he added.
“Political party activists, representatives of local self-government institutions and members of socio-cultural outfits and clubs should take part in the sanitation drive on a war footing,” he said in a statement.
He also informed that the government had already stepped up its sanitation drive. It is also involving local people in cleaning drive to avoid more such deaths. Vijayan said fever cases have reduced in those areas where waste management and mosquito control measures were implemented efficiently.
He said the government had guaranteed sufficient stock of necessary medicines and the service of doctors in all state hospitals.
In the meantime, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala visited Vijayan and submitted a memorandum with some ideas to handle the crisis. He alleged that 117 people had died owing to fever in the state since January.
Chennithala also slammed health department saying it failed miserably in containing the fever. He blamed state Health Minister K K Shylaja for not rising to the instance.
But the Health Minister denied charges saying the opposition was trying to take political mileage over the situation. A joint effort is required to tackle the situation.
