The North-East Monsoon has started, and many parts of Chennai and Tamil Nadu are getting heavy rain. To protect public health during this rainy season, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has set up medical camps across the city.These camps help monitor people’s health and prevent the spread of waterborne and mosquito-borne diseases. During monsoon, people often get fever, diarrhoea, cough, skin infections and other seasonal illnesses.
City health officer Dr. M. Jagadesan said that in the last two months, about 1,000 fever cases were reported in Chennai. However, there has been no big rise in dengue or other waterborne diseases so far.
From 17th October to 24th October, a total of 447 medical camps were organised, including one mobile medical unit. Most of these camps were held in low-lying and flood-prone areas. Around 17,960 people received medical check-ups at the camps. On Friday alone, 5,500 people visited the camps.
The main aim of the camps is to stop the spread of communicable diseases early before they become serious.
Meanwhile, the mosquito control drive in the city has been intensified. GCC workers are visiting houses and checking places where mosquitoes can breed, such as overhead tanks, underground sumps, wells, and discarded containers. If larvae are found, they are destroyed immediately.
Officials say that these preventive steps will help control vector-borne diseases like dengue during the monsoon.