Schools take guard against dengue ahead of peak season
Times of India | 6 March 2025
12 Kolkata: Schools across the state have started taking preventive measures against dengue well ahead of its peak season. The state education department has already issued a circular, asking govt schools to take up all preventive measures on the school premises. Similarly, private schools across the city — affiliated to either the CISCE or the CBSE — said they were on the preparedness track.
Schools have also been asked to stay vigilant on warning signs for dengue in children. The circular on Wednesday comes ahead of the pre-monsoon showers when the Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that carries the dengue vector, starts multiplying.
The state-aided schools were asked to maintain cleanliness on the campus, ensure proper waste disposal and elimination of stagnant water on the premises. The schools were instructed to keep all water tanks covered and cleaned periodically.
"Children spend a considerable amount of time in schools. And if the school campus harbours mosquito breeding sites, they are vulnerable to mosquito bites. Hence, it is important that vector control measures are initiated in schools instead of focusing on such measures only at homes and surrounding areas," said paediatrics professor, Mihir Sarkar of Medical College Hospital Kolkata.
The state has a total of around 95 govt and aided schools with around 1.7 crore students. Internal medicine specialist Arindam Biswas of RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences said such proactive measures will go a long way in dengue prevention, provided the steps are followed in practice. "We need to see if all schools have the infrastructure and manpower to implement this directive," said Biswas.
Animesh Halder, the Secondary Teachers and Employees Association South 24 Parganas district secretary and a teacher, said, "We welcome this initiative, which is undoubtedly good. However, funds are important for implementation as schools are dealing with a fund crunch."
The guideline further stated that if any student or teacher exhibits symptoms like severe headache, joint pain, or rashes, they should be referred to medical professionals immediately.
Bhavan's Gangabux Kanoria Vidyamandir principal, Arun Dasgupta said, "We always focus on campus cleanliness and monitor these things regularly. We handle waste disposal and sanitisation on a regular basis." St Augustine's Day School, Shyamnagar principal, Rodney Borneo said, the school had also taken up measures to prevent stagnation of water on the campus.