Water-borne diseases: ICT to form rapid response force

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration will establish a rapid response force to mitigate a possible outbreak of water-borne diseases owing to the monsoon rains. According to a press release issued by the ICT health department on Tuesday, in order to prepare for outbreak of water-borne diseases in the current monsoon spell as well as extreme summers, authorities have planned to establish rapid response teams comprising sanitary inspectors and lady health workers (LHWs). The LHWs and inspectors would work at the community level and visit every house in their catchment area to chlorinate water reservoirs. They will also educate community members on observing personal hygiene and advise them about the use of ORS. Meanwhile, field outreach teams would educate the community about the importance of using boiled water for drinking, adding aqua tablets in drinking water during epidemics, effectively washing vegetables and fruits before use and strict use of soap.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2014.