Hyderabad: Stung by rising dengue cases, government to take up fever surveys

Hyderabad: The Telangana government will take up fever surveys in all municipalities, including the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits, in the wake of increasing dengue cases. It will also take up dengue prevention measures on a war- footing basis, in collaboration with the Medical and Health and Municipal Administration departments.

Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao and the Health Minister T Harish Rao jointly reviewed with the Health department officials the increase in dengue cases. They said the booster dose programme would also be taken up in GHMC.

Harish Rao said dengue cases were increasing in the city and districts. These cases increase once every five years. As this is the fifth year, there was a slight rise in cases. Hence, if the Municipal Administration, Panchayat Raj and Health departments work together, good results can be achieved.

There were 542 dengue cases in July and 1,827 cases in August under the jurisdiction of GHMC. The Medical and Health department personnel should go to every house and sensitise people. Public representatives should make people participate in the drive.

The minister informed that 10,000 units of blood were collected on the occasion of 'Swatantra Vajrotsavam'. Platelet separator machines were available. The Health department has made all arrangements to give free of cost as much blood as needed. Doctors, medicines and equipment are ready in every government hospital, said Rao.

He announced that on September 17 the government would arrange a blood donation camp in Hyderabad and surrounding constituencies to give free blood to people on behalf of the department. In areas where dengue cases are high, medical staff should conduct door-to-door fever surveys, in coordination with GHMC, he directed officials.

Rama Rao said in the last three years the government had taken up every Sunday for ten minutes at 10 am cleaning the house and surroundings. He asked the GHMC commissioner, zonal and deputy commissioners to check wards having the highest number of dengue cases and prepare a special plan for prevention.