Alerted by the rising cases of Dengue in the State, the government is taking up an exhaustive fever survey on war footing in all municipalities and urban areas, including GHMC.
The survey will be taken up by the Medical & Health department in coordination with GHMC’s Entomology wing in the city, in order to take stock of the situation as also to record the status of administration of booster dose of vaccination against COVID-19.
The decision was announced after a joint online review meeting co-chaired by Minister for Medical & Health T. Harish Rao and Minister for Municipal Administration K.T. Rama Rao here on Monday, which was attended by Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar, Secretary, Medical & Health S.A.M.Rizvi, Director, Health & Family Welfare Swetha Mohanty, GHMC Commissioner D.S.Lokesh Kumar, and Director, Public Health, Srinivas Rao among others.
There has been rapid increase in the number of Dengue cases within GHMC, which rose from 542 in July to 1,827 in August this year. Mr. Harish Rao said a pentennial pattern of spurt in Dengue cases is observed, and as the current year is the fifth year after the last spurt, cases are increasing.
Fortunately, there is no dearth of platelets where they are needed. Mr.Harish Rao informed that a total 10,000 units of blood was collected during the fortnightly celebrations of 75 years of Independence.
Blood donation camps will be organised on September 17 in Hyderabad and adjacent constituencies, so that blood can be provided free of cost through the department.
Platelet separator machines too have been kept available at all tertiary care institutions, along with medicines and equipment in all government hospitals.
Urging fever patients to approach Basthi Dawakhanas for diagnostic tests without fail, Mr.Harish Rao said fever tests can be run free of cost by T-Diagnostics. Rapid Test kits have been kept available at Basthi Dawakhanas.
T-Diagnostics has conducted a total 27,000 tests during the last one-and-a-half months due to which the increase in number of cases has become apparent, Mr.Harish Rao noted.
As part of the Fever Survey, the Health staff will also attempt to administer booster doses of COVID vaccine on saturation mode.
Mr.Rama Rao said GHMC has been conducting the weekly Dengue prevention protocol whereby stagnant water is emptied from containers at 10 a.m. every Sunday.
He directed the GHMC Commissioner and zonal & deputy commissioners to identify the wards with high number of Dengue cases, and prepare a special action plan for prevention.
The action plan should be implemented in all municipalities across the state, and women, children and teachers should be included in the weekly Dengue prevention protocol.
Dengue mosquito breeds in stagnant rainwater, rather than dirty water, hence care should be taken to ensure there is no stagnant water around.
School Education, Municipal department, MEPMA, public representatives and local body representatives should jointly work for the success of the prevention programme, by publicising it well.
Celebrities should be roped in for wide publicity. Radio, local television and hoardings should be utilised for increasing awareness. Mr.Rama Rao urged ministers, IAS officers and public representatives to observe the weekly protocol at their own homes and publicise the same through digital media.
The fever survey will be conducted in all the colonies of GHMC, akin to the cordon and search operations of the police department, Mr.Rama Rao said.
