HEALTH DEPT SOUNDS ALERT OVER PROBABLE DENGUE OUTBREAK
The state health department has alerted civil surgeons (CS) of all 24 districts to take immediate step for checking dengue and chikungunya infection, as outbreak of such seasonal diseases amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic will worsen the situation.
Additional chief secretary, health, Arun Kumar Singh issued a directive in this regard on Friday evening.“The state government is combating with Covid-19 pandemic. The situation may become out of control for the health department if seasonal diseases such as dengue and chikungunya spread in these circumstances. So, take immediate steps for checking them,” Singh said.
The directive came following the recently passed cyclone Yaas that hit Jharkhand on Wednesday and Thursday this week, resulting in storms and heavy rainfall in many parts of the state. In those two days, waterlogging was reported from different pockets, making it a breeding ground for seasonal diseases such as dengue and chikungunya.
Taking serious note, the state has also sought guidelines from the central government over Dengue Case Management during Covid-19 pandemic, Singh said.
The health secretary has directed civil surgeons to form task force and ensure destroying of all dengue and chikungunya breeding ground on priority basis.
The state has also set up lab for testing samples of suspect dengue and chikungunya cases at RIMS and Sadar Hospital in Ranchi, DPHL in Chaibasa, SNMMCH in Dhanbad, MGMMCH in Jamshedpur, and DPHL in Sahibganj.
Besides, the urban development has also been directed for carrying out sanitization drives in coordination with district level officials of the health department for control of dengue, chikungunya and urban malaria. “In line of ongoing sanitization for Covid-19 in different urban localities, it is highly essential to carry on the same for vector borne diseases from the safety point of view,” Singh said in a letter to the department.
The situation may go out of control if dengue and chikungunya spread amid the Covid-19 pandemic ARUN KUMAR SINGH, Additional chief secretary, health