CHENNAI: Health minister C. Vijayabhaskar declared that dengue would be controlled in the next 10 days in Kancheepuram and Chennai after his recent visit to government hospitals and reviewing treatment and facilities being provided to fever and dengue patients.
Though dengue infection remains under control and state health department officials have denied the risk of an outbreak, the number of cases has surged. The state health department had made similar promises to control dengue in ten days last month, stating that various steps were being taken to check the spread of the disease.
The corporation has also stepped in to control the spread of dengue and control mosquito menace. “Currently, around 2,845 ground workers are deployed to carry out fogging and breeding check in all the zones of Greater Chennai Corporation. The workers are equipped with 586 fogging sprays, 245 pump sprays, 39 fogging lorries and 3 power sprays to control mosquito menace in the city,” said an official.
When contacted doctors at government hospitals about the dengue control programme, they say that mosquito breeding cycle can be controlled in a specified time period.
“The mosquito breeding cycle needs to be controlled in 15 days, but effective measures need to be adopted as the mosquitoes easily adapt to the environment for survival. Fluctuating weather conditions contribute to the rise in mosquito breeding,” said Dr P. Vasanthamani, dean, Kilpauk Medical College.
However, health department officials say that a new action plan to control the spread of dengue is to be implemented soon.
“We aim to not only control breeding of mosquitoes and spread of infection, but also provide effective treatment facilities for fever patients, hence, dengue treatment facilities and equipment will be provided at integrated public health centres. We hope that new initiatives and upgrading health services will help counter the rising number of dengue cases,” said public health director K. Kolandaisamy.
