Gorakhpur, Oct 3: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday that due to the coordinated efforts of different government departments, Uttar Pradesh will see complete eradication of encephalitis from the state soon and an announcement to this effect will also be made by the state government shortly.
While launching the Special Communicable Disease Control Campaign at BRD Medical College here, the CM said, “The state government has been conducting special campaigns to control communicable diseases like dengue, malaria, encephalitis, kala-azar, and chikungunya since 2017. These campaigns have yielded good results over the past six years.”
He described the control of encephalitis as a successful model for the country and the world. He launched the campaign, which will run until October 31, by flagging off public awareness campaign vehicles.
Yogi also felicitated two ASHA workers and two Anganwadi workers for their excellent works and provided Ayushman cards to four beneficiaries of the Ayushman Yojana.
It may be noted that the UP government conducts special campaigns for communicable disease control three times a year through inter-departmental coordination. The current campaign, which runs from October to January, includes a 15-day program in the first phase aimed at raising awareness and facilitating inter-departmental coordination.
The CM said that from October 16 to 31, ASHA workers will go door-to-door as part of the ‘Dastak Abhiyaan’ to identify and provide appropriate treatment to patients in every household.
He said that UP has the highest population in the country and the state, especially eastern UP, was severely affected by encephalitis before 2017. “Before 2017, 500 to 600 patients were admitted to the BRD Medical College alone on an average annually during this season, whereas 1,200 to 1,500 children used to die across the state every year. Encephalitis caused 500 to 600 child deaths in BRD Medical College alone. However, now the disease and the deaths caused by it are on the verge of becoming part of history,” he said.
Yogi emphasized that when the government is determined and people come together, even seemingly incurable diseases can be eradicated quickly. “Encephalitis is an example of this,” he said.
It may be mentioned that Bareilly, Badaun and its surrounding areas of central north faced outbreaks of dengue and malaria while Bundelkhand suffered chikungunya. Dengue also had a significant impact on Firozabad, Mathura, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow and Varanasi. Kalazar affected regions from Varanasi to Kushinagar and areas adjacent to Bihar.
The CM said that all these challenges were daunting for the healthcare system. “Through inter-departmental coordination, involving departments like the municipality, panchayati raj, women and child development, primary education, and disabled welfare, the situation improved significantly. The results are evident for everyone to see today,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of cleanliness in cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). “Various programs for cleanliness and tap water schemes in every household are being implemented. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Swachhajanli program was conducted across the country on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. This was the greatest tribute to Bapu because cleanliness was his dearest subject. He knew that diseases caused by dirt weaken a person’s abilities and strength,” he said.
Yogi said that for the construction of a strong and self-reliant India, cleanliness is crucial. “In line with this objective, the Prime Minister initiated the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on October 2, 2014. As a result, there has been significant awareness about cleanliness among the people,” he said.
He said. “Today, every household has access to a toilet. The emphasis on cleanliness is being reinforced through bans on plastic and various other programs.”
The CM said that at present, while dengue is wreaking havoc in various states of the country, it is under control in UP as a result of the communicable disease control program. He said that through this campaign, extensive public awareness is being raised, and ASHA workers, health professionals, and paramedical staff are working together to run health awareness programs.
He mentioned that along with controlling communicable diseases, we also need to heed PM Modi’s call to completely eradicate tuberculosis (TB) by 2025. “For this, all public representatives, doctors, paramedical staff, and ordinary citizens should become a part of the campaign led by the Health Department by taking care of TB patients in their neighbourhood,” he said.
Yogi said that the government is providing medicine, dosage management and various other facilities for this purpose. “If we can provide these services to those in need, it will be a great service to humanity, society and the nation,” he said.
Along with inaugurating the Special Communicable Disease Control Campaign at the medical college, the Chief Minister also inspected the dengue ward at the medical college and inquired about the health of admitted patients.
During the program held at BRD Medical College, the CM performed Annaprashan of small children, providing them with nourishment and giving them gifts along with plenty of love and blessings. On this occasion, he also performed the baby shower ceremony of pregnant women and gave them nutrition kits.
