Services| RDHS

Regional Epidemiology Unit

In public health epidemiology unit has responsibility on surveillance, prevention and control of communicable diseases. The study and analysis of the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in human population are known as epidemiology.

Regional epidemiologist - RDHS Matara

Dr. Tharaka Lokumarambage

Major Activities and Services

Activity involve in collecting data and update database regarding commune.
Play a major role to prevent the pandemics such as covid-19 in Matara district.
Collecting and updating data for the natural immunities schedule and supervision the process.
Coordinate national epidemiology unit to the district level –MOH offices , district general hospitals, base hospitals, divisional hospitals
Analyze and forecast communicable disease patterns
Strengthening national immunization program
Ensure food and water safety in matara district
Entomological surveillance- dengue, leishmaniasis, filarial, malaria
Training of health staff
Public health education
Prevent epidemics in matara district

DENGUE PREVENTION

Larval control 1) chemical methods- applying larvicide- abate, BTI 2) biological methods-add larvivorous fish to water 3) source reduction – by removing mosquito breeding sites
Adult mosquito control 1) thermal fogging-(malathion, pesguard, gohkilart)-by hand held machines and vehicle mounted machines 2) use repellents to minimize mosquito bites

COVID 19 PREVENTION

field level random PCR sampling, rapid antigen test- by mobile team/MOH team
admit positive patients to treatment centers
home quarantine 1st contacts for 14 days
exit PCR in quarantine people ( day 10-14 from last exposure date)
admit symptomatic patients to isolation wards
public health education-regarding hand hygiene, social distancing, use face mask, respiratory etiquette
isolate/ lockdown high risk areas

NOTIFIABLE DISEASES

Group A - Cholera,Plague,Yellow fever
Group B - Acute flaccid paralysis, Chicken pox, Dengue, Diphtheria, Dysentry, Encephalitis, Enteric fever, Food poisoning, Human rabies, Leptospirosis, Malaria, Measles, Mumps, Meningitis, Rubella, Simple continued fever >7 days, Tetanus, Neonatal tetanus, Viral hepatitis, Whooping cough, Tuberculosis,) Leishmaniasis, leprosy

When a patient diagnosed with a notifiable disease in hospital, hospital must notify it to the relavent MOH area through H-544 form. MOH have to send consolidated report through H-399, which is known as WRCD (weekly return of communicable diseases) in every week to epidemiology unit, and they have to update it to the online system “ e-surveillance”. Apart from that When there is a dengue patient, hospital must update it to the online system “DENSYS”

NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION PROGRAMME

2 month - penta, OPV 1, IPV 1
4 month - penta, OPV 2, IPV 2
9 month -MMR1
12 month -JE
18 month -DTP, OPV4
3 years -MMR2
5 years -DT, OPV 5
11 years -HPV 1, HPV 2
12 years -aTd
15 -44 Y -MMR
Pregnancy-TT

According to national immunization schedule every child get vaccinated in relevant age through area MOH. Immunization data should update to online system “e-NIP” by MOH. Adverse events following immunization (AEFI) are monitored by MOH and report to epidemiology unit through –AEFI form and online system “e-AEFI”.