The Punjab Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani today issued directions to authorities to launch a war against dengue and malaria besides other vector borne diseases and asked the authorities to join hands with civic authorities to ensure fool proof preventive and curative measures.Concerned by the spread of dengue after the rainy season and unpredictable temperature, the Health Minister today chaired a day long meeting of state task force and directed civil surgeons to ensure dengue and Malaria prevention measures on a war footing. He also said that a “Joint Monitoring Committee” with representatives from all the departments concerned would be constituted at the state level which would meet in every week for monitoring of epidemic prone diseases. The Minister also announced setting up of a control room at head quarter that would submit hourly report to the authorities for optimum utilization of resources to ensure early win on mission of dengue eradication.
Reviewing the steps already taken in the state, the Minister said that the Civil Surgeons have been instructed to step up anti Dengue steps in the state. Intensifying its ongoing operations to check the outbreak of dengue and malaria in urban as well as rural parts of Punjab, the Health department in collaboration with the departments of Transport, Water Supply& Sanitation, Rural Development and Panchayats, Dairy Development, Local Bodies, Labour and Education has already launched a state-wide campaign to prevent vector borne diseases including dengue and malaria and sought cooperation from general public in making this campaign success. All civil surgeons have been directed coordinate with the respective departments to take necessary steps to prevent breeding of the mosquitoes in and around their vicinity in each town. The Minister said that collective efforts should be roped in to effectively control Dengue in this season. He stressed upon the need of dry day in a week in which coolers and other appliances should be thoroughly cleaned.
Emphasizing on generating more awareness regarding dengue, the Minister asked the Civil Surgeons to organize periodic meetings and awareness campaigns in different parts of the rural and urban areas focused on slum areas. Mr. Jayani has also asked the Education department to organize special awareness campaigns in schools during the morning assembly.
Addressing the Meeting Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Ms. Vini Mahajan said that Indian Medical Association (IMA) has also been directed to ensure sharing of information about each and every dengue with district health officials. She also directed that the weekly alert based on disease profile of the state would be shared with all the departments which would act as a Trigger to act; as this period till November is crucial for vector borne diseases.
She has also asked each department concerned to conduct a survey across the state to check mosquito breeding, if any. She ensured that the state has sufficient stock of larvicides, testing kits and free treatment facilities etc to tackle the situation.An exclusive Dengue ward has been established in each district hospital to ensure full & proper treatment to patients. Till date, 1068 suspected cases were found in Punjab out of which 268 were found positive. Only 13 patients are admitted till date & rest of them have been discharged. Ms. Mahajan appealed the people to build awareness for all diseases so as to tackle this menace effectively.