Institute for Social and Economic Change |
Working Paper: 495
Preparedness to Monsoon Diseases in Kuttanad (Kerala)
Bejo Jacob Raju
S Manasi
Abstract
This paper aims to capture the preparatory measures of the institutional health system in Kerala to address the threats of communicable diseases during the monsoon. Further, with an extensive field survey in Kuttanad, the study explores the preparedness of the households against monsoon epidemics looked in terms of their keenness to treatment, adherence to preventive medicine, vector prevention measures, healthcare insurance coverage and possession of basic knowledge of the etiology of communicable diseases. The study found the pre-monsoon preparatory measures of the local self-governments at the grassroot level inept. The distribution of preventive medicines was poorly administered. The study also found weak permeation of healthcare insurance coverage in the representative sample. The government bodies should frame tailored preparedness programmes targeting the vulnerable groups during the monsoon.