Health and Family Welfare Minister, Punjab, Brahm Mohindra has issued instructions to all the civil surgeons to adopt pro-active approach to fight against diarrhoea, dengue and chikungunya outbreaks in the monsoon season.Disclosing this here today, Health Minister said that all the concerned departments have already been ordered to take necessary action to tackle the outbreaks of water borne and vector borne diseases on priority basis. District administrations have also been directed to ensure the adequate supply of essential medicines in government hospitals. He said that he would personally take up the matter with local bodies Minister for ensuring smooth joint operations to prevent the outbreaks especially in the cities. He said that medical camps are continuously providing free medical treatment in all affected area and proper healthcare service was being provided to the patients in the camps as well as in the government hospitals.Mr. Mohindra further said that he is personally in touch with various district authorities and getting information about cases from Phillaur in Jalandhar, Giaspura in Ludhiana and Nurpurbedi in Roopnagar regularly.
A large number of cases have been reported from these areas besides death of two patients reported from Phillaur till now. He said that lab testing reports of the patients from Phillaur had indicated cholera infection due to contaminated water supply. He said that municipal councils of the concerned areas were providing the water through tankers in the affected areas.Health Minister further said that as many as 4 dengue (1 Faridkot, 1 Moga, 1 Hoshiarpur and 1 Patiala) and 6 chikungunya (1 Fatehgarh Sahib, 1 Gurdaspur, 1 Hoshiarpur, 2 Ludhiana & 1 Patiala) cases had been reported till 29 June, 2017. He said that guidelines had already been issued to all district administration for the prevention and control of dengue and chikungunya. Special dengue wards have been established in the government hospitals across the State. The supportive treatment is also being provided free of cost (except blood and platelets) to dengue patients in all government hospitals at district and block levels.Divulging more, he said that blood component separators installed at district level hospitals and are operational for the provision of blood components for severe cases of dengue haemorrhagic fever. At present, 6 Aphresis machines at Civil Hospital Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Sangrur and Mohali are functional and providing platelets extraction facility for the dengue patient.