'Take measures to curb infant mortality in Udupi'

Udupi Deputy Commissioner Hephsibha Rani Korlapati expressed concern over increasing rate of infant mortality and directed the officials to take measures to curb infant mortality.

Speaking at a meeting, the deputy commissioner directed the health department to conduct a probe to ascertain the reasons for the rise in the death of newborns. She said that the report should comprise an in-depth research on the areas were the death of newborns was on the rise.

She said that there are seven newborn deaths reported in the month of April alone. Out of seven, four were girls. Seven pregnant women had died during the stages of delivering babies from December to April, which is also a cause for worry. All the hospitals should be equipped with basic facilities for the delivery, pre and post-natal care, she said.

On the rise in malaria cases in the district, deputy commissioner said that there was a need to create awareness on cleanliness and sanitation.

Asha workers should visit houses once in a month and create awareness on stagnant water and cleanliness. Education department should create awareness among schoolchildren on breeding of mosquitoes. The Udupi district stands second in the state in the number of Malaria cases reported. There is a need to create awareness among migratory and construction workers on the breeding of mosquitoes in stagnant water.

H1N1 cases

As many as 306 H1N1 cases were reported in the district, of which nine patients had died. As many as 14 monkey fever cases had been reported. Awareness programme on importance of washing hands and measures to clean the tanks should be taken up, she added.

Hephsiba Rani Korlapati took the officials to task for delaying the process of issuing identity cards to 13 endosulfan victims in Kundapur, who have more than 25 %disability. She instructed the officials to complete the work within two days.