As 28 dengue cases have been reported in Delhi so far, the Delhi Government’s Health Department, along with three municipal corporations, has pulled up its socks to control the vector-borne diseases (VBDs). In order to beat the terror of Aedes mosquito, the Government has appealed to the people to not let the storage of open water around their houses and ordered the medical superintendents of all Government hospitals to be prepared for dengue menace, if it arises.

“All the medical superintendents of Government hospitals have been advised for dengue preparedness with the onset of monsoon in the city. We are coordinating with Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to avoid mosquitogenic conditions in Delhi,” Dr SM Raheja, Nodal Officer for dengue preparedness told The Pioneer.

Besides training of all specialists, medical officers, resident doctors, lab staff and nursing staff is being conducted to disseminate dengue control measures issued, he said.

“Hospitals have been advised to create VBD Surveillance Committee with a Nodal officer, Nursing Superintendents/ Supervisor, care taker and sanitation in-charge,” said a senior official of Directorate of Health Services. He added the committee officials will inspect the hospital premises once a week to check mosquito breeding and its control measures.

Fever clinics and dengue corner will be set up in all hospitals when more cases will be reported. Hospitals have been asked to strengthen their laboratories for platelets diagnosis to provide best possible health care service to patients coming for VBDs treatment, said the official.

Appealing to the people for not letting the storage of open in and around their houses, Dr Raheja said that mosquito breeding can be found behind refrigerator, flower pots, open containers, water from air condition can also help dengue mosquito to breed. Therefore, these spots should be cleaned very day. People should be more active in making their place hygienic with no open water should be stored anywhere, he added.

The three municipal corporations too have begun to take baby steps to tackle the impending onslaught of dengue. So far, various rounds of meetings by MCD Commissioners have been conducted to notify the concerned health departments to take all necessary steps.  Officials have said that the nodal officers of departments prone to dengue like hospitals and school areas have been asked to conduct a check. “With the upcoming monsoon menace, the breeding is bound to start and therefore that’s why we have also come up with dengue net coolers,” said an official.

In North and East Corporation, one lakh mosquito nets were distributed by each of the three corporations to deal with Aedes menace. Rohini zone ward committee chairman Devender Solanki directed sanitation-level officials to work efficiently for dengue prevention and its control.

Deputy Commissioner, Rohini, Jagdeep Chillar said that he himself will monitor all the sensitive points. He also directed the officials to work honestly and willfully to achieve the goals any kind of dereliction would not be tolerated.