Bengal schools directed to step up dengue prevention measures

Kolkata: The state School Education department has issued a directive instructing all schools to step up dengue prevention efforts by maintaining cleanliness and eliminating stagnant water on their campuses. The directive focuses on raising awareness and taking proactive measures to curb mosquito breeding to reduce the risk of dengue outbreaks.

The directive follows a meeting of the ‘Core Group on Prevention & Management of Dengue’ held on February 28 at Nabanna, chaired by the state Chief Secretary. District inspector of schools have been tasked with ensuring that all institutions under their jurisdiction take proactive steps to curb mosquito breeding.

As per the guidelines, schools must conduct regular awareness drives, including briefing students on hygiene and safety, during morning assemblies. The guidelines mandate maintaining campus cleanliness, eliminating stagnant water, proper waste disposal and regular cleaning of water tanks. Schools have also been advised to coordinate with local authorities for periodic fogging and larvicide spraying.

Additionally, students will be encouraged to participate in cleanliness drives, while school authorities must designate a teacher to monitor dengue prevention efforts. Schools have also been instructed to advise students and teachers to report symptoms like high fever, severe headache, joint pain and rashes immediately for timely medical intervention.

To ensure compliance, additional district inspectors of schools, assistant inspectors of schools and sub-inspectors of schools have been directed to include ‘dengue prevention monitoring’ in their routine inspections. They were also informed that surprise inspections may be conducted to ensure schools are following the guidelines.