Hyderabad: With more than six cases of dengue being reported in the first week of August, health minister Dr C. Laxma Reddy called on health officers on Monday and insisted on an awareness programme.
City doctors say that the dengue season has come early this year and cases were reported since June itself.
The government, however, took action after three cases were reported in Gandhi Hospital and three in Fever Hospital.
Director of health and medical education, Dr M. Ramani, said, “There is a strong need to ensure that diagnostic tests for dengue are properly carried out. The government wants to strengthen the diagnostic testing as the word dengue creates panic among people. This is not so. All dengue fevers are not fatal. It is only the dengue hemorrhagic fever that requires aggressive treatment, adolescents and children usually suffer from it. For this reason, spreading proper awareness about the disease is important.”
Meanwhile, district medical and health officers have been asked to register dengue cases properly.
A senior government official said, “Often private hospitals term a viral fever as dengue and try to exploit the patient. This practice is wrong. We have asked health officers to act quickly and take blood samples and ensure that diagnostic tests are done on time so that dengue can be confirmed on time.”
Private hospitals often complain that dengue fevers are not registered as government health officers take blood samples after three days of treatment wherein the virus load is greatly reduced.
Meanwhile the state government wants the “dry day” practice to be followed very seriously.
The minister has asked all health officers to visit the field and spread the message that Friday must be observed as dry day when all utensils, pots and pans are emptied and completely dried.
