Annual report of the Directorate General of Health Services / issued by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Government of India.

  • India. Directorate General of Health Services.
Date:
[1960]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Directorate General of Health Services / issued by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Government of India. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    utmost care to supply pure water, to maintain good sanitation, light¬ ing so as to avoid out-break of epidemics during fairs and festivals. Cinema shows on cholera, smallpox, leprosy, etc., were given; posters on health propaganda were distributed; magic lantern, talks and other public health activities were carried out through public health staff and propaganda van during the fairs and festivals held in the year under report. Punjab—A number of fairs and festivals were held during the year 1960, in the Punjab State. Such gatherings are held responsible for the out-breaks of epidemic diseases, like cholera, etc. The Punjab Health Directorate, on such occasions, undertakes all preventive measures by making adequate sanitary arrangements. Rajasthan—-The total number of important fairs and festivals held in this State and the estimated population attending the fairs reported were as under: — Total number of fairs ......... 292 Total congregation .......... 26,58,717 The health staff visited the sites of the fairs and assisted the Mela Authorities in making health arrangements like urinals, latrines, drinking water, bathing place etc. The precautions for the prevention of contamination of eatables were taken. Wherever there were big congregations, a mobile dispensary was arranged and, if necessary, isolation camps were established. 47 temporary infectious diseases hospitals were opened. The number of anti-cholera inocula¬ tions performed on mela ground was 13,022 and earlier among the intending pilgrims was 5. The number of smallpox vaccinations per¬ formed on mela ground was 1,826 and for the intending pilgrims was 2,509. Doctors, Compounders, Sanitary and Health Inspectors, Vacci¬ nators etc., were deputed for prevention and control of communicable diseases. No out-break of epidemics were reported during the melas in 1960. Films shows and public health exhibitions were arranged. Uttar Pradesh—All fairs and festivals passed off without any out¬ break of infectious diseases. Inoculations against cholera was made a condition of entry into the more important of them, viz., the Ram Naumi and Sawan Jhula fairs at Avudhya; the Ayed Salar at Bah- raich, two fairs in Basti district and along the pilgrim routes to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Jamnotri. Himachal Pradesh—37 fairs and festivals with a total congrega¬ tion of approximately 4,00,000. On the average a congragation of more than 10,000 on each occasion was held during the year 1960. There was no ban of such fairs for reasons of public health. No infectious diseases hospitals required to be opened during the fairs. Public Health Staff including Medical Officers of Health attended these fairs and made necessary arrangements such as provi¬ sion of safe drinking water supply, general cleaning, inspection of eatables etc. The Superintendent of Vaccinations, Sanitary Inspectors, Vacci¬ nators. etc t were deputed on each occasion to look after the sanita¬ tion, prevention and control of infectious diseases. There was no out-break of epidemics during the fairs held in the year under review.