Community Surveillance Programme to help early detection of COVID-19 related symptoms

May 18: Community Surveillance Programme (CSP) would help in detection of COVID-19 related symptoms at an early stage. Joint Director, Health Services, Hailakandi, Dr.Ramesh Chandra Dwivedy said the ‘CSP’ would not only help in detection of unreported cases of SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infections) and ILI (Influenza-like Illnesses) but also COVID-19 related symptoms at an early stage.

“We will also strengthen the surveillance for other diseases associated with fever-like Japanese Encephalitis, Malaria, Dengue etc.,” Dr. Dwivedy said. He disclosed that CSP is being carried out in all the 307 villages across the district. Dr. Dwivedy further said that the massive community surveillance exercise would help to identify the areas where incidence of seasonal diseases are high and would also create a database enabling the health authorities to deal with such diseases beforehand.

Deputy Commissioner, MN Dahal, who is monitoring and coordinating the CSP activities with the health authorities, has appealed to the people to cooperate with the health workers visiting their houses so that they can get proper and timely medical care and treatment. “I earnestly appeal to the people of the district to cooperate with ANMs, ASHAs and other health workers and provide them with specific health details while they visit their homes,” said Dahal. As part of the surveillance, the administration wants to reach each and every individual in the district, the Deputy Commissioner added.

District Media Expert, Monika Das disclosed that around 1,000 doctors, auxiliary nurse midwives, multipurpose health workers, community health officers, accredited social health activists and lab technicians are involved in the entire mission. “The activity starts with ASHAs who are mandated to visit door-to-door for checking SARI/ILI and fever-related cases. They will prepare line listing of such cases which will be shared with the Community Surveillance Teams (CSTs),” she added. The members of CSTs will visit the houses identified to interact with the suspected cases, confirm the findings, counsel patients including family members and nearby community members. Based on the advice of CSTs, lab technicians will collect swab or blood samples and send them for testing.