6th September, 2002
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare  


REVIEW MEETING FOR PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF VECTOR BORNE DISEASES


Secretary, Health, Shri S. K. Naik today took a review meeting to discuss the state of preparedness for prevention and control of Dengue fever, Malaria and other vector borne & water borne diseases in Delhi and its neighbouring States. Secretary, Health stated that vector densities need to be monitored and surveillance of fever cases should be strengthened so that early warning signals of potential outbreaks are identified. Since the risk of outbreak of vector borne diseases increase in the monsoon and post-monsoon months, Shri Naik stressed upon the need to step up the preparedness for prevention of these disease. The representatives from the states of Rajasthan, U.P., Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi and Medical Superintend from Lady Hardinge Medical college, Safdarjung Hospital and officials from C.P.W.D., Ministry of Information & Broadcasting attended the meeting.

Director General Health Services, Dr. S. P. Agarwal gave overviews of the present condition in these States and stressed the need to intensify monitoring of the fever cases. He also asked the states to take immediate action to bring the vector densities down to negligible levels. Monitoring of mosquito breeding in office building and hospitals should be made mandatory, reporting of laboratory confirmed case of dengue should be essential along with the timely garbage disposal in order to reduce the potential breeding sites, he stated.

The States briefed the Secretary on the steps taken by them as control measures. Some of the states requested for an increase in the supply of Malathion and DDT for spray purposes and Primaquine Tablets.

Secretary, Health assured the States to look into the problems faced by them and asked them to intensify the IEC activities specially in the border areas of U.P. and Haryana where the larval densities of Aedes was high. It was also decided that the hospitals in the capital would constitute small teams to monitor the cases of vector borne diseases and to report immediately if there was sudden increase in fever cases. CPWD was also asked to provide regular reports to the Department of Health on the buildings inspected by it.