Proactively prevent disease

Disease prevention work is receiving attention from the health sector and local authorities of the city, with a series of measures being deployed as soon as floodwaters begin to recede.

Medical facilities receive Chloramine B and Aquatabs water disinfectant tablets. Photo: LE HUNG

Synchronize multiple measures

The leader of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) of Da Nang city said that the unit has established 5 mobile teams to respond quickly to flooded areas to support medical facilities, schools, and people in cleaning domestic water sources and spraying disinfectants to limit common epidemics after floods.

Mr. Vo Trung Hoang, Deputy Director of CDC Da Nang said, after the water receded, 5 mobile teams were present in the localities to guide people to disinfect water, ensure clean water with Chloramine B, Aquatabs tablets and deploy environmental treatment at medical facilities that were flooded and heavily flooded, such as: Quang Nam Regional General Hospital (Dien Ban ward), Duy Xuyen Regional Medical Center, some areas in Hoi An, Dai Loc...

“CDC Da Nang promptly provided more than 280kg of Chloramine B powder and 40,000 Aquatabs tablets to support people in disinfecting water sources, cleaning houses and treating the environment after floods. At the same time, we will strengthen surveillance of disease vectors in affected areas and be ready to deploy treatment measures when disease outbreaks are detected to prevent disease outbreaks and spread after floods,” said Mr. Vo Trung Hoang.

Medical staff went to people's homes to distribute Chloramine B and Aquatabs water disinfectant tablets. Photo: LE HUNG

The leader of Dai Loc Regional Medical Center said that Chloramine B and Aquatabs tablets have been distributed to commune health stations to support people in treating water sources and environmental sanitation... At the same time, he requested health station staff to go to the areas to coordinate with the civil affairs committee and village health department to guide people in treating the environment and disinfecting well water sources by using 1 Aquatabs tablet for every 20 liters of water.

In Hoa Tien commune, immediately after the water receded, the commune health station proactively carried out environmental sanitation activities, disease prevention and distributed Chloramine B to flooded public and private schools. At the same time, staff were assigned to directly guide the cleaning and disinfection of classrooms, desks and chairs and school supplies, ensuring a safe environment when students returned to school.

In addition, instruct people in villages to clean, clarify and disinfect wells and tanks with Chloramine B, boil water before use to prevent gastrointestinal diseases, etc. Propagate and remind people to clean up mud and waste, clear sewers, kill mosquito larvae, eat cooked food, drink boiled water, wash hands with soap, and not let water stagnate around the house.

Medical staff instruct people on how to disinfect water sources with Chloramine B. Photo: LE HUNG

Need community cooperation

Up to now, Da Nang has not recorded any unusual signs of infectious diseases other than dengue fever, which has increased before. However, vector and epidemiological surveillance is being carried out regularly to detect and handle them promptly.

According to Mr. Vo Quang Vinh, Director of Hoa Vang Regional Medical Center, along with actively supporting and guiding people to clean up, treat the environment and water sources, commune health stations in the area also proactively coordinate with the Department of Disease Control to closely monitor, detect early cases, outbreaks and promptly isolate and handle, and promote disease prevention propaganda in schools and residential areas.

After the flood receded, the city's health sector proactively sprayed disinfectant chemicals in areas at risk of environmental pollution. Photo: LE HUNG

The leader of the CDC Da Nang said that floodwaters carry garbage, feces, animal carcasses and mud, mixing into wells, tanks and rivers and lakes, increasing the density of pathogens, such as bacteria that cause cholera, dysentery, typhoid, yellow fever spirochetes, viruses, parasites and fungi.

In addition, stagnant water and uncollected waste create favorable conditions for mosquito larvae to breed, increasing the risk of dengue fever outbreaks. Temporary living conditions cause poor personal and environmental hygiene, thereby increasing the risk of spreading diseases through the respiratory tract or direct contact such as flu, pink eye, etc.

According to Mr. Dang Quang Anh, Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention (CDC Da Nang), to ensure health and prevent diseases, the treatment and assurance of clean water sources are especially important. The best way is to boil water thoroughly to kill bacteria. If boiling is not possible, people can use Chloramin B or Aquatabs tablets according to the instructions printed on the packaging to disinfect. Absolutely do not use food that has been soaked in flood water, contaminated or has signs of damage; kill mosquito larvae to prevent dengue fever...

Based on the plan for infectious disease prevention in the city in 2025 and the proposed needs of regional medical centers, CDC Da Nang has allocated 375 kg of Chloramin B 25% and 315 liters of mosquito-killing chemicals to 16 regional medical centers to promptly and proactively respond to disease prevention after floods.

On November 1, the City Department of Health organized two working groups to visit, encourage, inspect, direct and support the Regional Medical Centers of Dien Ban, Duy Xuyen, Dai Loc, Hoi An, Nong Son and the Northern Mountainous Region General Hospital of Quang Nam in implementing measures to ensure medical work, environmental sanitation, water source treatment, disease prevention and overcoming consequences caused by floods.

At the same time, we highly appreciate the proactive spirit and flexible response of the units in implementing the "4 on-site" motto, ensuring the safety of medical staff and patients, and quickly bringing medical facilities back to normal operation.

On this occasion, the Department of Health presented 4,000 medicine kits sponsored by FPT Long Chau, along with 8 kits of flood prevention medicine and gifts to support hospitals, regional medical centers and medical stations affected by flooding.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/chu-dong-phong-ngua-dich-benh-3309024.html