Hospital labs to be kept open for blood tests

Dengue epidemic

With the number of dengue patients increasing to 70,100 cases and deaths to 209 as of yesterday, the Health Ministry has instructed the directors of teaching, district and base hospitals to keep their laboratories open round the clock to facilitate blood tests for patients.

This decision was taken by the Dengue Management Committee at a meeting presided by Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Sugathadasa.

The officials were told that dengue had spread to 14 districts and the worst hit was Colombo with more than 15,100 victims. The Health Ministry has taken over several rural hospitals earlier managed by provincial councils to control the fast spreading disease and equip them with additional medical specialists, medical, paramedical and minor staff, drugs and medical equipment.

The Committee also decided to request the Education Ministry to pay more attention to the cleaning of school premises which have been identified as potential mosquito breeding sites. Rural hospitals in Piliyandala, Wetara, Talangama, Minuwangoda and Dankotuwa have already been taken over by the Health Ministry to better treat dengue patients.

Meanwhile, the Government Epidemiology Unit has identified Kolonnawa, Dehiwala, Colombo, Kaduwela, Maharagama and Boralegamuwa as dengue prone areas. Several rural hospitals earlier managed by provincial councils have been taken over to control the fast spreading disease and equip them with additional medical specialists, medical, paramedical and minor staff, drugs and medical equipment