The Department of Community Medicine at Amrita School of Medicine, Kochi organized a community action program in Araya LP School at Njarakkal, Kochi, to mark World Health Day, keeping with this year’s theme “Small Bite; Big Threat” – focusing on the threat caused by mosquitoes, flies, ticks etc.

The 2011 batch MBBS students conducted a house to house survey for Aedes mosquitoes in the Vypin area of Kochi and identified about 16% of houses with larva. In the light of this, World Health Day programs were organized in nearby schools to generate awareness and to prevent the outbreak of the epidemic.

The program was inaugurated by Dr. Prathapan Nair, Principal, Amrita School of Medicine. Dr. K. Leelamoni, Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine welcomed the gathering and spoke about the World Health Day theme.

Dr. Aswathy S., Professor-in-charge, Amrita Community Health Training Center, Njarakkal delivered a talk on Dengue and its control. “In Kerala, vector borne disease like Dengue has been showing a consistently increasing trend. Hence Dengue and its vector Aedes mosquitoes was emphasized upon as Vypin is an area of water scarcity necessitating storage of water in containers. Dengue and Chikungunya are seen to flourish in these areas if adequate care is not taken about water storage,” stated Dr. Aswathy.

Health checkup and a skit on Mosquito Control by 2011 batch MBBS students were also part of the program.

April 7, 2014

Amrita School of Medicine, Kochi