Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra on Friday issued instructions to all the Civil Surgeons to adopt pro-active approach to fight against dengue, chikungunya and diarrhoea outbreaks in the monsoon season.
Mohindra said that all the concerned departments have already been ordered to take necessary action to tackle the outbreaks of water borne and vector borne diseases on priority basis.
District administrations have also been directed to ensure the adequate supply of essential medicines in Government hospitals, he said while adding that he would personally take up the matter with local Bodies Minister for ensuring smooth joint operations to prevent the outbreaks especially in the cities.
He said that medical camps are continuously providing free medical treatment in all affected area and proper healthcare service was being provided to the patients in the camps as well as in the Government hospitals.
Mohindra further said that he is personally in touch with various district authorities and getting information about cases from Phillaur in Jalandhar, Giaspura in ludhiana and Nurpurbedi in Roopnagar regularly as a large number of cases have been reported from these areas besides death of two patients reported from Phillaur till now.
“lab testing reports of the patients from Phillaur had indicated cholera infection due to contaminated water supply. Municipal councils of the concerned areas are providing the water through tankers in the affected areas,” he said.
Mohindra said that as many as four cases of dengue—one each from Faridkot, Moga, Hoshiarpur and Patiala, and six of chikungunya — one each from Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, and Patiala, two from ludhiana, had been reported till June 29.
Guidelines had already been issued to all district administration for prevention and control of dengue and chikungunya, he said, adding that special dengue wards have been established in the government hospitals across the State.
The supportive treatment is also being provided free of cost (except blood and platelets) to dengue patients in all government hospitals at district and block levels.
“Blood component separators installed at district level hospitals are operational for the provision of blood components for severe cases of dengue haemorrhagic fever. At present, six Aphresis machines at Civil Hospital Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar, ludhiana, Sangrur and Mohali are functional and providing platelets extraction facility for the dengue patient.,” he said.