Chennai: With the number of dengue cases gradually increasing in Tamilnadu, the government has shifted its focus on private hospitals as many people are seeking treatment.
A meeting to tackle the monsoon preparedness activities, communicable diseases and dengue control measures was held at the Health and Family Welfare Training Centre here today. It was presided by State Health Secretary Beela Rajesh.
Addressing the reporters, Beela Rajesh said while the government doctors have been informed of the protocols that has to be adhered in fever cases, attention has been now given to the private counterparts.
”Private hospitals will be educated on vector control – source reduction, prevention and treatment protocols,” she said.
So far, 3,486 incidences of the water-borne disease has been reported in the State. While the government states that only three deaths have occurred, in the past few days, according to reports, five deaths were reported.
”In the last three months, the number of cases are high. The nodal officers appointed in the top 10 burden districts (including North Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Cuddalore, Dharmapuram, Salem, Vellore and Coimbatore) are overseeing the preventive measures,” the Health Secretary said.
The officials fined three households in Vellore with Rs 500 after four-year-old S Nakshatra succumbed to the fever at Christian Medical College. On the day before, the school where the girl studied was slapped with Rs 1 lakh fine.
According to television reports, a scan centre and an eatery in Erode that showed lethargic attitude to clean up the mosquito breeding spaces was fined Rs 1 lakh each by the local body. The authorities disconnected the water supply to the scan centre and the eatery was sealed.
With regard to monsoon preparedness, the Health Secretary said, ”The private practitioners would be given orientation on the life-saving measures similar to the meeting that we had two weeks ago. The private hospitals should have a power backup and generators and the diesel should be purchased in advance. Sufficient medicines and gases like oxygen for at least two months should be stocked up besides storing kitchen goods and safe drinking water.”
The hospitals should have patient safety and transfer plan mockdrill should be conducted. For pregnancy cases, the Health Secretary stated that the expecting mothers in the hospital should be admitted in advance and safe delivery should be performed. In case it floods during the monsoon, the discharge method and protocols would be reinforced to the private hospitals, she said.
Meanwhile, at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Dean Dr Jayanthi informed that patients with dengue are being treated in a step-down ward. The hospital observed ‘Dengue Prevention Day’ yesterday.