Chhapra (Saran). Preparations for Night Blood Survey (NBS) have been started by the Health Department in Saran district to identify filariasis infection. This survey will be conducted in all the 20 blocks of the district including Chhapra urban area. Under this, blood samples of people aged 20 years and above will be taken and the presence of filariasis parasites will be detected in them. Blood collection will be done after 10 pm, as some filariasis parasites are present in higher numbers in the peripheral blood during night time. This helps in identifying them.
The Health Department has prepared a microplan for the survey and villages have also been selected. Three blood collection centers will be built in each block. Through these centres, blood samples of people of prescribed age group will be collected and tested. Based on the results of the survey, the situation of filariasis infection in the concerned areas will be assessed, which will help in planning further prevention and control activities.
Target of taking samples of 900 people in each block:
Under the night blood survey, three sites have been earmarked in each block. These will include one permanent center i.e. Sentinel Site and two temporary centers i.e. Random Site. A target has been set to collect blood samples of 300 people from each site. In this way, samples of a total of 900 people will be collected in each block. According to this target, there is a plan to collect a total of 18 thousand blood samples in 20 blocks of the district.
A five-member team will work at each site:
District vector disease advisor Sudhir Kumar said that a five-member team has been formed at each site for night blood survey. This will include community health officers (CHO), lab technicians, ANMs, Asha workers and other concerned health workers. The team will complete the blood sample collection and testing tasks as per the prescribed procedure. To monitor the campaign, a monitoring team has also been formed at the district level, which will keep an eye on the survey activities.
Promotion will be done with the help of Asha and Anganwadi workers:
Since blood samples are taken at night, it is important to inform people about the purpose and timing of the survey. For this, the Health Department is running a public awareness campaign with the help of Asha workers, Anganwadi workers and local public representatives. People are being told why blood test is necessary and how it helps in identifying filariasis infection. The department is trying to ensure that more and more people of the prescribed age group participate in the survey.
Why is blood sample taken only at night?
District Vector Borne Disease Control Officer Dr. Bhupendra Kumar said that there is a scientific reason behind fixing night time for night blood survey. Some parasites of filariasis appear in greater numbers in the peripheral blood at night. Therefore taking a blood sample at night increases the chances of their identification. For this reason, the time for blood collection has been fixed from 10 pm to 12 am. The test results will help in ascertaining the infection situation in the concerned areas and planning necessary control activities.
Survey is important for filariasis control:
Filaria is a parasitic disease spread by mosquito bites. If the infection persists for a long time, the patient may have serious problems like abnormal swelling and hydrocele in the hands and feet. Night blood survey plays an important role in identifying infection and taking timely control measures.
This survey in Saran district will help the health department to identify the areas where filariasis parasites are present. On this basis, monitoring and control activities can be conducted more effectively. Preparations are being made by the department to keep the system of blood collection smooth at the designated centers and to ensure people's participation.