Punjab to review dengue deaths: Mittal

 by Punjabnewswire4u

CHANDIGARH, JAN 21           

Punjab has become the first State to review all the deaths reported due to Dengue in Government as well as Private Hospitals. The Department of Health and Family Welfare has constituted district level and State level committees of various experts to review the deaths taken place due to Dengue. 

This was disclosed here today by Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Health & Family Welfare Minister, Punjab. He informed that during 2012 (January to December), 15 deaths had been reported in different districts in the State. Out of these, 8 deaths were reported from Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana and 7 from PGIMER, Chandigarh. 

All these death cases were reviewed first by the ‘district level committees’ and thereafter by the State level committee. The Health Minister further revealed that after reviewing the medical, laboratory and treatment records of all the death cases, 7 cases were ruled out as a case of death due to Dengue. The State has now only 8 confirmed deaths due to Dengue for 2012 (1 each from Kapurthala, Moga, Ludhiana and Gurdaspur and 4 from Mohali). 

Mr Mittal informed that Punjab has now 15 centres for free testing of Dengue cases (Govt. Medical College Amritsar, Patiala, Faridkot, Civil Hospital Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mansa, Moga, Mohali and Sangrur). He added that the symptomatic treatment to all Dengue cases admitted in Government Hospitals is also being provided free of cost.

            Mrs Vini Mahajan, Principal secretary informed that the Department of Health and Family Welfare has issued a notification for Malaria and Dengue to ensure that all Government and Private Doctors get the patients tested and confirmed at these 15 Sentinel sites before declaring it as a case of dengue.

            Dr. Ashok Nayyar, Director Health Services, Punjab informed that Department will be doing house surveys before the start of the transmission season in 2013 and sprays will be done with insecticides in the affected areas to prevent Dengue and Malaria.