Question

Describe a plan for vector control following a disaster. Why is vector control necessary?

Answer 1

Ans: Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions can contribute to the transmission of some diseases provided the causative agent is already in the environment. Rapid changes in the human environment may occur also as a result of acts of war or of other man made circumstances including major industrial accident. There is always need to control the vector as they spread many infectious diseases and can cause much harm to the public. The risk of acquiring malaria, dengue or encephalitis may decrease as a result of the destruction of breeding places of the local vectors.

*Steps that can be taken vector control following disaster :

1) Establish preparedness plans for the control of epidemics of dengue, malaria and other vector borne diseases within the general organization of emergency health services, which in turn should be included within the National Disaster Preparedness Plans in areas at recognized risk;

2) Update the epidemiological profiles of areas considered to be at risk, particularly when a potential disaster situation is forecasted;

3) Arrange to have ready a core group of trained personnel, supplies and equipment as well as logistic support to strengthen prevention and control activities at short notice;

4) Evaluate the situation and adjust the emergency plans to the local conditions before putting them into action. Epidemics of malaria, dengue and encephalitis subsequent to a disaster, if they occur at all, start about six weeks after the disaster hits.

5) Make maximum use of epidemiological data directly related to disease management, especially at district and local levels. For instance, in relation to malaria, analyze data related to "fever treated with antimalarial drugs" and not only the positive smear rates.

There is need to control these vector because they transmit many of the diseases such as jungle yellow fever, bartonellosis, Oroya fever, louse-borne typhus, and plague etc.