As the state gears up for the monsoon, local bodies have been instructed to form epidemic cells to deal with diseases that often threaten to accompany it .
Dr Thomas Varghese, joint director-health, urban affairs department, said the municipalities and corporations have been told to chlorinate wells in all localities where representatives in the local bodies will head disease control committees.
“They have also been told to prepare a seasonality map of diseases that may break out in each locality, activate health sanitation committees for each ward, and take care that hospital waste is disposed of effectively,” he revealed.
The local bodies will be expected to rope in Anganwadi and Kudumbasree workers in their activities and keep an eye on eateries as well.
The Kerala Water Authority has, meanwhile, been told to carry out super-chlorination of the water it supplies and the social welfare department, to conduct awareness camps among mothers and administer preventive vaccines among children.
The agriculture department’s job will be to control mosquito breeding and prevent outbreak of rat fever.
The animal husbandry department has been told to focus on animal vaccinations and monitor spread of disease, if any, through fowls and animals.