Accelerate preventive steps to check dengue, chikungunya: CS

With a spurt in dengue and chikungunya cases in Delhi, Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha today asked various agencies to accelerate preventive actions like fogging, running public awareness programmes and putting up an effective monitoring system.
He reviewed the preparedness for both the vector borne diseases during a meeting of committee of secretaries of the Centre and representatives of the Delhi government and municipal bodies.
"The Cabinet Secretary asked the participants to accelerate action for prevention and management of dengue and chikungunya and said that these actions should be further facilitated by running public awareness programmes...
"...Availability of medicines and doctors, helpline facilities to the people and use of mobile clinics. He also asked them to put effective monitoring system in place," an official statement said.

According to a municipal report, 432 chikungunya cases have been diagnosed in the national capital till August 27. However, experts said the number could be actually much higher.
Altogether 487 cases of dengue have also been reported in the national capital this season, with 368 of them recorded in August.

"Sinha hoped that the residents will also participate by taking necessary preventive measures by maintaining cleanliness in their areas and the local bodies will carry out necessary increased fogging in the area.
"The Committee was also informed that there was no shortage of testing kits and medicines," the statement said.

The meeting was attended by secretaries of the Health department, health research, Ayush, pharmaceuticals, Delhi's chief secretary and senior officers from ministries of urban development, I&B, New Delhi Municipal Corporation, EDMC, NDMC and SDMC.