- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Mon, 05 May 2025 04:06 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Floods are a recurring issue in 15 districts of Bihar, where residents often face the devastation of flooding for months. While the monsoon season has been delayed, the possibility of floods remains, prompting the Health Department to take proactive measures. In anticipation, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner of Health, Pratyaya Amrit, has issued an advisory to the affected districts for pre-flood preparations.
The advisory outlines several key instructions for the districts, including the formation of an epidemic prevention committee, chaired by the District Magistrate (DM). This committee will also include the Deputy Development Commissioner, Superintendent of Police (SP), Civil Surgeon, Supply Department, and officials from the Disaster Management and Public Health Engineering departments.
In addition, regular mock drills involving health workers and NGOs should be conducted to ensure readiness for flood-related emergencies. The advisory emphasises the importance of identifying safe drinking water sources by May or June, as water supplies are often contaminated during floods. Chlorine tablets should be used for small water sources, while bleaching powder should be applied to larger sources to prevent contamination.
To combat diseases such as dengue, malaria, and kala-azar caused by mosquitoes during floods, the department has instructed the spraying of DDT and fogging. The advisory also calls for the formation of medical teams in each area, comprising doctors, sanitation inspectors, nurses, paramedics, and other health workers, to ensure effective response during flood situations.
