Start immediate treatment to stabilise dengue patients: Minister to hospitals

State Health Minister Suresh Shetty has urged private hospitals to immediately start the right type of treatment to stabilise dengue patients. Instructions have already been issued to civic authorities to direct hospitals to report about each dengue case.

State health authorities have said civic bodies should strictly implement bylaws that stipulate punitive action against those responsible for keeping places in such a condition that they act as mosquito breeding sites.

This year, there have been over 700 dengue cases, with 18 deaths, till now in the state. In Pune Municipal Corporation area, 137 dengue cases were reported in September alone, while 135 cases and three deaths were reported this month. Pimpri-Chinchwad has reported 46 dengue cases and one death.

"Dengue control has a multi-sectoral approach and all departments have to be involved to check the spread of the vector that causes dengue," Shetty told Newsline on Monday. Terming the death of director Yash Chopra as an unfortunate one, Shetty said campaign against vector borne diseases needed to be intensified.

"Meetings are held every fortnight and instructions have already been issued regarding unnecessary storing of water at homes," he said. "Our focus is on Pune, Nashik, Thane, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and we have urged societies to keep water tanks clean, remove excess water from decoration plants and have also instructed civic health authorities to step up awareness drive."

State surveillance officer Dr Pradip Awate said according to civic bye-laws, promoting mosquito breeding sites on premises is punishable. "And this should be implemented strictly." Acting civic chief medical officer Dr S T Pardeshi said so far action has been taken in case of outdoor construction sites.

At present, there were around 15-20 cases of pulling up the person concerned at construction sites as ward medical officers found stagnant water filled up in toilet commodes. "We have also instructed hospitals to report dengue cases so that immediate action can be taken," Pardeshi added.

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