Health Min holds review meet on prevention of dengue in Delhi

Union Health Ministry today held a review meeting of various agencies including municipal bodies and local government to check preparedness for preventing any outbreak of dengue in the national capital.
"Municipal bodies and Delhi government officials were urged to be alert over next two months and to gear up activities and measures to be taken for awareness generation, prevention and control of dengue so as to effectively address the situation, and not allow it to escalate," Health Secretary B P Sharma said in an official release.
Due to reporting of high density of vector breeding from various areas across Delhi, source reduction activity to eliminate mosquito-breeding was identified as a priority activity to reduce the risk of transmission as no vaccine is available for dengue, the release said.

The Directorate General of Health Services was asked to ensure availability of adequate stock of test kits for dengue in all central government hospitals. Sharma also suggested to conduct training of doctors of private hospitals on dengue case management.
"Creating awareness among the communities for prevention and control of dengue emerged as a focus area during the meeting. It was suggested that targeted multi-media Information Education Communication campaigns need to be undertaken to highlight the need for prevention from dengue," the said.
The officials from Delhi government mentioned that special awareness programmes are being held in the schools, such as rallies, etc., to educate the children on dengue. It was suggested that activities such as these could be replicated all over to create widespread awareness.

The number of cases of the vector-borne disease has shot to an alarming 277 till August 14, with over 220 of them being reported in the first two weeks of August. Two deaths have been reported due to dengue this year.