Garhwa: In a proactive initiative to strengthen public health awareness ahead of the monsoon season, the Health Department in Garhwa organized a comprehensive workshop on the occasion of National Dengue Day at the Civil Surgeon Office auditorium on Friday. The programme was chaired by Civil Surgeon Dr. John F. Kennedy and witnessed participation from officials of multiple departments, health experts and representatives of social organizations.
The workshop revolved around this year’s national theme — “Community Participation for Dengue Control: Check, Clean and Cover” — highlighting the crucial role of citizens in preventing the spread of dengue.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Kennedy said dengue continues to pose a serious public health challenge, especially during and after the monsoon season when mosquito breeding increases rapidly. He emphasized that dengue is a viral infection transmitted through the bite of infected female Aedes mosquitoes and warned that, in the absence of a specific vaccine or medicine, prevention remains the strongest weapon against the disease.
Calling for collective responsibility, the Civil Surgeon urged residents to observe one “Dry Day” every week by emptying, cleaning and drying all water storage containers before refilling them. “Destroying mosquito breeding grounds at the household level is the most effective step towards dengue control,” he said.
He also appealed to people not to ignore symptoms such as fever, body pain and weakness, and advised immediate consultation with doctors at nearby health centres or hospitals. Detailed information regarding dengue symptoms, transmission and preventive measures was shared during the workshop.
District Epidemiologist Dr. Santosh Mishra cautioned that the risk of dengue transmission rises sharply during the rainy season and stressed the need for sustained public awareness campaigns and behavioural change at the community level. He said awareness at the grassroots would play a decisive role in reducing dengue-related cases.
District VBD Consultant Arvind Kumar Dwivedi informed participants that Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during daytime and breed in stagnant clean water. He advised people to wear full-sleeved clothing, regularly change cooler water, and prevent water accumulation in tyres, broken utensils, disposable cups and coconut shells.
The workshop also served as a platform for inter-departmental coordination, with officials and personnel from various departments pledging to spread awareness among the public. Among those present were City Manager Rohit Rahul Samad, Education Department ADPO Kuldeepak Agrawal, Rana Tabassum, Ankit Tirkey from JSLPS, Rohit Singh, Abhishek Singh, Kumar Sanjeev Sharan, Chandan Kumar Pal, Raj Kumar Verma, Santosh Kumar, Sunil Pandey, Nurullah Ansari, Roshan Kumar, Vikas Kumar Chandel, Ajit Singh and Zaheer Ansari of Piramal Foundation, among others.
Health officials reiterated that public participation, cleanliness and timely awareness are key to preventing dengue outbreaks in the district.