Pune: As the monsoon season approaches, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has ramped up efforts to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, with its Health Department’s Communicable Diseases Control Division issuing a detailed public advisory.
To bolster disease surveillance and emergency response, a comprehensive training session was held on May 16 for all zonal and field-level medical officers, as well as those posted at Urban Community and Primary Health Centres (UCHC/UPHC). The initiative aims to ensure proactive preparedness against seasonal outbreaks.
All PMC-run hospitals and clinics have been directed to maintain adequate stocks of essential medicines required for the treatment of infectious diseases. In anticipation of potential patient surges, a dedicated 50-bed isolation ward equipped with round-the-clock medical facilities has been established at Dr. Naidu Infectious Diseases Hospital.
A city-level Disease Control Cell has also been set up to coordinate response efforts, and field medical officers have been instructed to raise public awareness about disease prevention measures.
The PMC has highlighted that the risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases increases significantly during the monsoon, especially due to contaminated water and unhygienic food. Illnesses such as cholera, typhoid, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and dysentery are common during this period. The public is encouraged to adopt the following safety practices:
Personal Hygiene:
Consume only PMC-supplied tap water; avoid untreated sources like borewells and canals.
Avoid stale or uncovered food; ensure proper food storage.
Wash hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet.
Boil and filter drinking water.
Use mosquito nets, full-sleeved clothing, and window screens to prevent mosquito bites.
Remove stagnant water by cleaning items like buckets, tires, coconut shells, and flowerpots weekly.
Community Cleanliness:
Housing societies should regularly clean and maintain water tanks.
Educational institutions must ensure clean drinking water storage.
Maintain sanitary surroundings and practice proper waste segregation.
Construction sites should prevent waterlogging at labour accommodations.
Respiratory Illness Prevention:
Wear triple-layer masks if suffering from cold or cough.
Practice respiratory hygiene by covering mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing.
Wash hands frequently or use sanitizer.
Avoid touching face with unwashed hands and maintain distance from sick individuals.
Medical Assistance and Reporting
Residents experiencing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, or diarrhea are advised to seek prompt medical care. Free treatment is available at all PMC hospitals and Dr. Naidu Hospital. Additionally, private healthcare providers are mandated to report cases of infectious diseases like cholera, dengue, malaria, chikungunya, jaundice, typhoid, COVID-19, and H1N1 to PMC’s health department.
Call for Community Cooperation
PMC officials have underscored the importance of community involvement in maintaining public health during the monsoon. Citizens are urged to stay alert, adopt preventive practices, and cooperate with civic authorities to ensure a healthier Pune.
This advisory was jointly issued by Dr. Vaishali Jadhav, Assistant Health Officer (Communicable Disease Control), and Dr. Nina Borade, Chief Health Officer of PMC.
