Govt hospitals asked to set up fever, dengue wards in Dindigul

Collector M.N. Poongodi instructs Gov't Hospitals to set up fever/dengue wards, share info on dengue patients, stock medicines/consumables, advise against self-medication. Local bodies to create awareness of dengue, teams to lookout for breeding sources, 3 days of fogging in affected areas, schools to inform health officials of fever cases.

Collector M.N. Poongodi on Wednesday instructed Government Hospitals to set up fever and dengue wards and increase the number of beds, if required, to treat dengue patients.

Chairing a meeting on dengue prevention measures here, she said doctors should identify patients with symptoms of dengue and begin proper treatment at the earliest. Details about dengue-infected patients should be shared with the district authorities by all hospitals including private hospitals, she said.

The Government Hospitals should register the name, address and telephone numbers of fever patients. All wards should have mosquito nets and anti-larvicidal activities should be taken up on all hospital premises. Adequate quantity of medicines and consumables for clinical investigations should be stocked in the hospitals.

She advised the people against self-medication, but visit the nearest Government hospital. The local bodies should create awareness of dengue and ways to prevent breeding of mosquitoes. People should be taught not to allow stagnation of fresh water, especially in scraps, coconut sheaths, old tyres and utensils left in the open. Larvicidal activities should be taken up in areas where the number of fever cases surge.

Teams of domestic breeding checkers should be formed and they should make door-to-door visits and lookout for breeding sources. They should also collect information about fever cases. The teams should advise people to keep water containers covered. Three days of intensive indoor and outdoor fogging should be carried out in areas where dengue cases were detected.

Schools and colleges should inform health officials about fever cases among students., she added.

Project Director, DRDA, P. Thilagavathi, Dean, Dindigul Government Medical College, R. Suganthi Rajakumari, Corporation Commissioner R. Maheswari, District Siddha Doctor Rafia Ahmed and Deputy Directors (Health) Varadharajan, and Anitha, were among those who were present at the meeting.