Tamil Nadu Public Health Act invoked for dengue control

In the wake of a surge in fever cases, especially dengue, in Tamil Nadu, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine has invoked provisions of the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act 1939 relating to notifying cases of dengue to the local health authority and enforcing mosquito control activities.

In the wake of a surge in fever cases, especially dengue, in Tamil Nadu, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine has invoked provisions of the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act 1939 relating to notifying cases of dengue to the local health authority and enforcing mosquito control activities. Failure to report a notifiable disease, failure to comply with notices requiring measures against mosquito breeding or interrupting mosquito control work would attract penalties under the Act.

T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, issued circulars to the Director of Municipal Administration, the Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation and to all deputy directors of health services on strengthening the surveillance and vector control activities.

“We have told local bodies to utilise the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act as well as their own Act,” he said.

He said that because of sporadic rain in recent days across the State, a surge in fever cases, especially dengue, has been reported all over Tamil Nadu. Dengue fever is a notifiable disease as per Section 62 of the Act. Section 64 states that every medical practitioner should report the notifiable communicable diseases to the local health authority with the least practicable delay. Penalty will be levied for failure to give information.

All government hospitals, major private hospitals and laboratories should be sensitised and instructed to report all notifiable diseases to the District Surveillance Officer/District Surveillance Unit through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme-Integrated Health Information Platform. The Act also had provisions — Sections 83 to 88 — on mosquito control activities.

There are penalty provisions under the Act to enforce mosquito control activity. For GCC and other local bodies, the DPH said that penalty may be levied based on the resolution made by the council and notification published in the Gazette.

In the circular to deputy directors, the DPH outlined the penalty details - the Act specified a fine of ₹50 for failure to comply with notice requiring steps to be taken against breeding of mosquitoes (for owner or occupier of any place), ₹200 for deteriorating work relating to prevention of breeding of mosquitoes and ₹500 for interfering/destroying anti-mosquito work.