Health Min warns rogue hospitals against fuelling panic on dengue

Hyderabad: Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha on Thursday directed officials to identify hospitals that are creating panic among people by confirming dengue disease through RAPID TEST instead of doing ELISA TEST and take strict action against them.

He held a video conference with the DMHOs of all districts on seasonal disease control at the conference hall of the Arogyasree Health Care Trust office here. The minister directed officials to submit a report on measures being taken by HoDs and DMHOs at district level on control of seasonal diseases and dengue across the State.

Asking officials to keep an eye on propaganda on dengue, Rajanarasimha said severe action should be taken against those who take up rapid tests. Different methods are used to diagnose viral infections, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

Diagnostic methods used by ELISA or PCR are costly, in addition to being used in advanced and well-equipped laboratories as well as major tertiary care hospitals. The rapid test kits are used because it is an easy-to-use, inexpensive method and does not require advanced equipment and detailed training.

The minister was informed that, as part of seasonal disease control, a house-to-house fever survey was conducted to collect blood samples of victims, and measures were taken to provide better treatment to them.

He directed them to identify the high-risk areas where cases of seasonal diseases and dengue are recorded and take preventive measures. He advised officials to pour oil balls in dirty water storage ponds and ponds to prevent the spread of seasonal diseases.

Rajanarasimha directed officials to submit reports on seasonal diseases to the control room established as part of seasonal disease prevention every day at 6 pm. He asked people not to worry about seasonal diseases and dengue, adding all government hospitals have all tests, blood tests, medicines, staff, and doctors for diagnosis of dengue and seasonal diseases.

As a part of the prevention of seasonal diseases, he directed officials to conduct a weekly review with officials of various government departments such as urban municipal corporations, municipal, village panchayat, irrigation, and education and submit a report to the district collector on dengue prevention.

The minister warned the department officials that strict action will be taken against those who act negligently in the prevention of seasonal diseases. He conducted a review on the provision of advanced equipment along with infrastructure development in government medical colleges and nursing colleges across the State.

The minister directed MD of Telangana Medical Infrastructure Development Corporation Hemant Vasudeva Rao to focus on providing advanced equipment to newly established medical colleges and nursing colleges.

Later, they discussed organ transplants under the Jeevan Daan programme going on in the State. He directed officials to take awareness measures to promote Jeevan Daan across the state.