With the focus on protecting children, the government is set to start a campaign to send medical kits at the doorsteps of children to protect them from water-borne diseases like encephalitis and malaria amidst the anticipated third wave of COVID-19.

“From June 15, a special campaign to send medical kits door-to-door to children will be started. In this regard, the administration is making all the necessary preparations,” Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said and asked officials to make special efforts to improve surveillance and keep the spread of water-borne diseases in check.

Directing officials to make sure there was transparency in the system and medicines were purchased at the company rate, the chief minister said that special attention should be paid by the medical corporation on quality, packing and convenience of supply.

He also asked the officials to ensure regular sanitation and fogging drives to check the threat of water-borne diseases.

Exuding confidence in having all the necessary arrangements to tackle the third wave of COVID-19, the chief minister said: “Uttar Pradesh will be using its experience of controlling the Japanese Encephalitis. “Our experience in tackling the Japanese Encephalitis will help us in controlling the spread of the third wave of COVID-19. For this, the UP government has prepared an action plan to effectively check the third wave,” he said.

The Japanese Encephalitis death rate has been reduced by 95 per cent and now there are hundreds of health wellness and encephalitis treatment centres, which help in controlling the diseases that are triggered by the rainy season. An action plan is being made by the Yogi government to increase dialysis units in every district of Uttar Pradesh on public-private participation (PPP) model. The state government is also planning to establish blood banks so that patients do not face trouble in getting blood.

The state government has also ramped up the health infrastructure for better treatment of children as facilities have been provided in PICUs (pediatric intensive care units) for children above one month, NICUs (neonatal intensive care unit) for children below one month, and SNCU (sick newborn care units) set up in maternity hospitals.