Haryana Health Minister, Ms. Arti Singh Rao said that the State Government has left no stone unturned to prevent the spread of dengue in the State. The Health department is taking all necessary steps to prevent dengue. Fogging is being done periodically in the affected areas to reduce dengue cases in the state.
Health Minister Ms. Arti Singh Rao was replying during the calling attention motion on the issue of dengue during the Haryana Vidhan Sabha winter session here today. The Health Minister said that the guidelines of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Ministry of Health, Government of India, are being implemented in the State to control Vector Borne Diseases.
There has been a significant reduction in dengue cases in 22 districts of the state as compared to last year. In the last year in 2023, there were 8081 dengue cases, which reduced to 4634 this year. The Health Minister said that the government has taken several significant steps to control dengue in the State.
Dengue has been notified under ‘The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897’ till March 31, 2027. Under this, VBD reporting has been made mandatory by all hospitals and laboratories of the state. The fee amount for ELISA based NS1/IgM for private laboratories have been fixed at Rs.600. The rate of single-donor platelets for private blood banks has been fixed at Rs.11,000 per unit.
She said that dengue tests are being conducted free of cost in the state, with 27 government laboratories (at least one in each district) currently functioning. A total of 1,13,667 dengue tests have been conducted in the state till November 11, 2024. 196 wards and 1022 beds have been kept reserved for dengue patients in government hospitals.
She said that platelets are provided free of cost to dengue patients who are natives of Haryana admitted in government hospitals. This year, 75 SDP units (63 Panchkula, 6 Ambala and 6 Hisar) have been provided free of cost to dengue patients.
She further said that Source Reduction activities are being carried out by 3000 MPHS/MPHWs, 855 Domestic Breeding Checkers and 20,000 ASHA workers. Repeated house visits (total 3.80 crore house) were done till November 11, 2024 and larvae were found in 2,09,915 house, she added.
Under ‘The Haryana Municipal Bye-Laws’ (Control of Vector Borne Diseases), 1,03,485 notices have been issued till October 15, 2024 to the owner of premises where mosquito breeding has been detected repeatedly. More than 6900 localities covered under fogging repeatedly (743 wards, 466 sectors, 1870 colonies in urban areas and 2078 villages and 1763 localities) till October 15, 2024.
Fogging has been carried out by the department of ULB and Panchayats using 5606 hand-operated and 43 vehicle mounted machines, said the Health Minister. The Health Minister said that a demi-official letter on November 8, 2024 has been sent to the Urban Local Bodies Minister and the Development and Panchayat Minister from the Health Department, to intensify fogging activities under the supervision of the concerned Deputy Commissioner in urban and rural areas respectively.
Regular public awareness activities are being done via newspaper advertisements, pamphlets, banners and hoardings, group meetings, miking etc. For the involvement of Panchayats, a total of 65,000 letters have been circulated to all Sarpanches and Panches by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department.
The Health Minister, while responding to a question, said that it is mandatory for all government and private hospitals to provide accurate data on dengue cases. If any hospital, whether government or private, is negligent in reporting clear data on dengue, strict action will be taken immediately.
She further informed the House that the Health department has already been conducting fogging to control the spread of dengue, and after issuing the letter the work was intensified. In response to another question about recruitment, the Health Minister said that for the recruitment of Doctors there will be an examination on December 1, 2024 which will be conducted by PGI.