Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: A joint meeting of the District Coordination Committee for Vector-Borne Disease Control and the District Task Force for Malaria Elimination was held under the chairmanship of Shri Ramesh Gaonkar, Additional Collector II, South Goa and H/C Kushavati Districts. The meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Bapstisto Mascarenhas, Health Officer, UHC Margao.
During the meeting, Block Development Officers (BDOs) were directed to activate all local committees and conduct regular review meetings. They were also instructed to involve sanitary inspectors from health facilities and prepare a comprehensive list of functional and non-functional GIDC units to ensure the availability of paramedical staff in each IDC unit for improved coordination with health authorities.
On sanitation measures, it was decided that Health Officers will report instances of non-compliance by local bodies to the respective BDOs. Local bodies, in turn, will extend labour support during source reduction drives aimed at eliminating mosquito breeding sites.
Officials noted that South Goa is steadily progressing towards malaria elimination, having recorded zero indigenous malaria cases over the past three years. However, the meeting emphasised the need for sustained and coordinated action in high-risk areas such as construction sites, industrial units and fishing jetties, with support from the Labour Department.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Departments of Fisheries, the Office of the Deputy Labour Commissioner, PWD, GIDC, PHCs, DDPS and AYUSH, along with Deputy Collectors and Mamlatdars of South Goa and Kushavati Districts.
