Kejriwal announces special campaign against dengue in Delhi

The Delhi government on Wednesday announced a special campaign aimed at tackling dengue and chikungunya in the national capital.

Titled '#10Hafte10Baje10Minute' campaign, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the initiative will begin from September 1 and will conclude on November 15.

"We appeal to the people of Delhi to devote 10 minutes every Sunday from September 1 to November 15 to ensure that there is no stagnant water in your houses or in your surroundings," he said at a press conference.

The Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers, and MLAs will also participate in the campaign.

"We will also involve school children, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and others to make our Delhi free from dengue and chikungunya," Kejriwal remarked.

The Chief Minister said that while the country is witnessing an upward trend in vector-borne diseases, Delhi has seen an 80 per cent reduction in these cases.

"In 2015, there were 15,867 cases. But in 2018, it came down to 2,798. Due to the government's efforts and people's participation, dengue and chikungunya have been controlled to some extent," said Kejriwal.

"In 2015, 60 deaths were reported and four deaths took place in 2018. This year, no deaths have been reported so far," he said.

Kejriwal said that key steps including addition of more dedicated beds in every hospital, setting up of 'mohalla clinics' and polyclinics and creation of a dengue control cell led to a reduction in vector-borne diseases in the national capital.