SRI LANKA DENGUE BLAMED ON ASI A
While tens of thousands of people infected with the killer dengue virus pile up in Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe explained the failure to reduce deaths and cases by telling parliament in March that the spread of dengue was part of health crises in Asia.
March was the worst month this year in Sri Lanka when Hospital, 250; Jayawardenepura Base hospital, 150; Kalubowila teaching hospital, 140; Kurunegala hospital 100 and the National Hospital Colombo, 90. An average of 20 patients is being admitted to the hospital every day.
The Director of National Hospital Colombo, Dr. Anil Jasinghe said two thirds of the dengue victims were below the age of 30 and, of them, a majority are children below the age of 15.
In March, there were not enough beds. “We had to keep three patients in one bed,” Dr Jasinghe said.
Director (acting) at Kurunegala Hospital, Dr. Chandana Kendangamuwa, said temporary wards have been set up and more doctors and nurses have been deployed to treat dengue patients.
In Sri Lanka, prevention of dengue is left largely to 13,373 dengue cases were reported.
He said: “Diseases such as fever and even bird flu are spreading in Asia, and millions of poultry are being destroyed in South Korea today. And the spread of diseases in Sri Lanka may be a part of this crisis.’’ He made the remarks in response to a question by an opposition lawmaker. households, while the government offers testing and hospital beds.
Dr. Kendangamuwa, said: “The intervention by Government through a strategy of prevention is cheaper compared with the state paying for the tests and hospitalisation.’’
Dr. R. M Ratnayake, Kandy hospital director, said that fogging is done in the hospital premises every week. To date, there are almost 50 patients.
He warns against self-medication.
“Avoid taking over-thecounter drugs,’’ he said adding that, while paracetamol in the recommend dosage is fine for the first 48 hours, other drugs should not be taken as they could lead to complications like gastritis and bleeding.
He also said entomologists should be deployed in highrisk areas to collect mosquito larvae and conduct tests and assist in research.