PANJIM: The Tiswadi Block Committee for vector-borne disease control held on Friday under the chairmanship of the Deputy Collector raised serious concern over the lack of cooperation from panchayats in efforts to curb the number of cases.
Speaking to reporters, GOACAN coordinator Roland Martins, who attended the meeting, stated, “It has been noticed that there is no cooperation from panchayats. We have observed that committees such as the garbage management committee and the village water and sanitation committee are not holding meetings at the panchayat level, and the burden of maintaining cleanliness is falling on doctors.”
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He emphasised the need for panchayats to take the lead in cleanliness drives. Doctors from Chimbel, Merces, and Bhetki Health Centres, as well as the Urban Health Centre in Panjim, stressed that cooperation from panchayats must improve within two months.
“Our target is April 25, which is World Malaria Day. Currently, the number of cases is low, but if we remain idle, they may increase. The major source of infections is migrant labourers, but they are often unaware of their role in the spread of disease. Therefore, it has been decided to hold a meeting with panchayat secretaries and educational institutions when they reopen in April,” Martins said.
The meeting was part of a special programme in which Deputy Collectors are convening block committee meetings to discuss strategies for controlling vector-borne diseases.
“The idea is to improve inter-departmental coordination. Today’s meeting was held with this objective in mind. The goal is also to bring together and involve the Directorate of Panchayats, Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), Water Resources Department (WRD), Public Works Department (PWD), Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), and Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL),” he added.
