LUCKNOW, July 2 -- Aimed to prevent and control communicable diseases, promote community participation, and raise awareness about vector-borne diseases like dengue, malaria, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis, deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak launched a special statewide communicable disease control campaign, "Dastak" and "Stop Diarrhoea" at urban community health centre in Aliganj in Lucknow. Diarrhoea and Zinc Corners were also inaugurated as a part of the launch providing essential services and information. The Special Communicable Disease Control Campaign and Stop Diarrhoea Campaign will run from July 1 to 31, while the Dastak Campaign will be conducted from July 11 to 31, stated a press release shared with media on Tuesday. The campaign will involve 13 departments, including Health, Education, and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), working together to ensure success, it further stated. Under these campaigns, the teams will visit door to door to spread vital information on personal hygiene, handwashing, cleanliness, and prevention of waterlogging. Awareness rallies and fogging operations will be conducted to prevent the spread of diseases.The campaigns aim to promote widespread public awareness and encourage community participation in preventing and controlling communicable diseases. At the launching of the Communicable disease control program, Pathak said that we will collectively defeat dengue, malaria, and other vector-borne diseases. He emphasized that joint efforts will help us gain control over these diseases. He informed that the campaign will include a door-to-door initiative to raise awareness among people. Pathak highlighted the significant progress made in reducing mortality rates due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE). He stated that since 2017, AES mortality rates have decreased by 98%, and JE mortality rates have decreased by 97%. Dengue mortality rates have also decreased by 93%, from 0.91% in 2017 to 0.06% in 2024. Additionally, malaria cases have decreased by 58%. Pathak has emphasised the crucial role of medical research in transforming healthcare delivery across the state. In a high-level review meeting with officials of the Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR) held at his office in Vidhan Bhawan on Tuesday, Pathak underscored the importance of maintaining world-class quality from drug development to patient care. While reviewing CBMR's recent achievements and ongoing projects, Pathak praised the institute for its growing contributions in the fields of experimentation, innovation, and translational research. "CBMR is helping simplify and improve medical processes, ensuring patients-especially those from special categories-receive effective and accessible treatment," he said. Highlighting the institute's work with over 50 special-category patients, Pathak noted that its research is already making a tangible difference in healthcare. He also pointed to CBMR's collaborations with various technology and research institutions, which have led to strides in drug testing, medical device innovation, and patent development....