Proposing a specialised public health cadre for infectious diseases like malaria and swine flu, Centre on Monday said a separate directorate of public health consisting of well-trained people in laboratory practices, surveillance and outreach investigations will also be set up.
Inaugurating the 11th Conference of Central Council of Health and Public Welfare, Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “The time has come for all of us to very seriously consider creating specialised public health cadre for disease prevention and management. Controlling infectious diseases like malaria, TB, polio, dengue need qualified and well-trained public health personnel.”
Mr Azad said a large number of vacancies in critical posts handling malaria and TB and the relative neglect in establishing effective monitoring systems, are the reasons why infectious diseases are spreading so rapidly in some parts of the country.
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Army foils infiltration bid in Uri
YUSUF JAMEEL
SRINAGAR
The Army on Monday foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir by killing nine militants. “The operation is still underway as some of the terrorists from the group may have outspread into nearby woods,” said a defence spokesperson here.
The spokesperson Lt. Col. J.S. Brar said that on Sunday evening, the Indian troops deployed along the de facto border between Boonyar and Lachipora in Uri sector observed a group of heavily armed militants trying to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir from Baba Keil point.
“On being challenged, a fire fight broke out which continued through the night and into today (Monday). So far, nine terrorists have been gunned down,” he said.
According to Lt. Col. Brar, the operation was conducted in a high altitude, thickly forested area.