Bhubaneswar, June 1: The state government today geared up its official machinery to prevent the outbreak of diarrhoea during the rainy season.

“Zero death should be our main target,” chief secretary Bijay Patnaik said, while talking to collectors of 10 vulnerable tribal-dominated districts through video conference.

The chief secretary today reviewed the diarrhoea and malaria control measures in Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Balangir, Sonepur and Nuapada.

Last year, diarrhoea had claimed 186 lives across the state. Most of the cases were reported from the backward and tribal-dominated KBK region. The district collectors were advised to identify vulnerable villages and hamlets on the basis of connectivity, availability of drinking water facilities and experience of previous years, a senior officer said.

During the video conference, which lasted for more than one and half hours, both short-term and long-term measures for diarrhoea and malaria control were discussed. Stress was laid on public awareness generation and flow of information from villages.

The chief secretary directed health department officials to consolidate supply position of oral rehydration salt (ORS) packets and ensure supply well in advance with anganwadi centres, gaon kalyan samitis and para-medical workers.

As the consumption of contaminated water was identified as the major factor for the diarrhoea outbreak last year, Patnaik asked the district collectors to adopt effective means for motivating people not to drink water from fielding while in work, and carry water from home.

A model can be set for changing peoples’ habit by supplying safe drinking water at the worksites of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, he said. An unskilled worker can be engaged to supply drinking water at these sites and he can be paid the wage as per the guidelines, it was clarified. The chief secretary advised to propagate simple, short and specific message through local artistes on the need for consumption of safe drinking water.

Women and child development secretary, Arati Ahuja, suggested that the food checking committees should look into the hygienic aspect of cooking and serving of the midday meal in anganwadi centres. The cooks and helpers should be advised to wash their hands before serving the meal and students be trained to clean their hands before eating, she said.

It was decided that a nodal officer would be identified at the village and gram panchayat level, who would inform the daily health situation of the villages to block and district authorities. The nodal officer would also report any sudden outbreak of disease.

Additional mobile health units were also sanctioned for inaccessible pockets of remote districts like Malkangiri.