Panaji: The Corporation of the City of Panaji has launched a pre-monsoon preventive drive against vector-borne diseases, conducting ground-level inspections to identify and eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites ahead of the rainy season.Officials from the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), along with a team of CCP officials, have been going to vulnerable spots to create awareness and brief local residents about preventive measures.“In ward 4, one of the buildings has frequent dengue cases because water stagnates in the field, but the field falls in Taleigao panchayat. So now we have created a WhatsApp group to coordinate with the Taleigao panchayat. We will take a review every month,” said mayor Rohit Monserrate.“The idea is to get everyone on the same page. The health department needs manpower. They need help in this regard,” said Monserrate.The NVBDCP team, including medical officer Dr Yogesh Palker and senior filaria inspector Mahesh Virnodkar, has been going around Boca de Vaca and Ribandar to assess vulnerable sites over the last week. The drive focused on surveying localities for conditions that could encourage the breeding of mosquitoes that spread dengue and malaria, two illnesses that typically spike during and after the monsoon months.At Ribandar, teams carried out door-to-door inspections and engaged directly with residents, demonstrating practical steps to prevent water stagnation that acts as the primary breeding ground for the Aedes mosquito that transmits dengue.Residents were shown how to clear clogged gutters and empty unused containers that accumulate standing water. A parallel inspection at Boca de Vaca, led by the senior filaria inspector and the NVBDCP team from the urban health centre, assessed local sanitation conditions and identified areas requiring focused and sustained intervention.The Boca de Vaca visit also included discussions on strengthening coordination between the corporation and health officials, reinforcing regular maintenance of drainage infrastructure and ensuring consistent cleanliness standards across the ward.Monserrate said the drives reflected the corporation’s commitment to tackling health risks before they escalate. “This survey is essential in curbing the spread of vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria,” he said.
