MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES

DISEASES COMMON TO THE DISTRICT

Malaria, filaria, leprosy, tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, dysentery, diarrhoea and epidemic diseases like small-pox and cholera are noted to exist in the district. The Public Health department co-operates with the local bodies in the control of epidemic diseases through primary health centres, health assistants, sanitary inspectors and sanitary squads.

The following statement gives the number of deaths in Dhulia district due to different causes in 1961: -

The Public Health and Medical department has evolved various measures to check the spread of these diseases. More emphasis is now laid on preventive measures than curative measures. The schemes to check the incidence of epidemics are undertaken before the out-break of the epidemic. National Malaria Eradication Programme was started in 1950 and the entire area of the district has been covered by this scheme. The National Small-pox Eradication Scheme is also vigorously carried out.

The main epidemic diseases in Dhulia district are cholera and small-pox.

The main season of out-break of cholera is rainy season. The infection spreads along the river sides. The epidemic generally starts in the border villages of Tapi river and then spreads through the tributaries of Tapi in the district. Every year the badly affected talukas are Shirpur, Sindkheda, Shahada, Sakri, Dhulia and Nandurbar. The Public Health department carries out disinfection of water supplies and anti-cholera inoculations before the monsoon sets in. Temporary isolation hospitals for cholera patients are opened in the affected areas.

The small-pox epidemic prevails for some time in the district and is mainly fought by means of mass vaccination.

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