Dengue under check for now even as preventive efforts flail

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 28

The fear of dengue is looming large, primarily owing to the last year’s record of the disease. The number of cases has crossed 15 while two cases (imported) of chikangunia were reported in the recent days. 

The Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) is lagging behind in its schedule to conduct fogging to counter vector-borne diseases.

The Health Department, however, maintains that employees of the department have created awareness among the masses about the diseases but the ground realities don’t support such claims as many people are yet not aware of dengue and its precautions. 

In view of the slow action by the government and the district administration, Sahara Welfare Society, a city-based NGO, is conducting fogging on its own. 

However, the NGO is also finding it hard to meet the expenses of the costly medicine used in fogging.

Epidemiologists claimed that out of 15 dengue cases, about 10 are imported as the patients belonged to other districts or states and had not caught dengue in the Bathinda. 

Similar is the case of chikungunia as both patients were from Delhi, claimed epidemiologist Dr Rajpal. 

Till now, more than 174 people have undergone tests for dengue, including the MAC Eliza test, and 15 have been confirmed positive.

However, the number of dengue cases, in comparison to the last year, is far less. 

In June last year, dengue had spread its wings in Goniana town while later, it spread across the district, leaving highest number of dengue cases reported in the district. 

More than 2,017 cases were reported positive while half a dozen deaths were also reported, but the Health Department didn’t support the data regarding the deaths. 

No campaign

In 2013, my elder brother (49) died of dengue. Last year, the government started a campaign to counter dengue and launched an awareness drive but this year, nothing like that has been done. No checks are being made while fogging is hardly being done.

Anil Kumar, resident Nai Basti

Awareness required

None of the officers visited our area to create awareness. Newspapers and pamphlets made us aware. We have been cleaning our coolers and other containers. Besides, we keep our surroundings clean and conduct spray in our house twice a week. Last year, the dengue had gripped the entire state, especially Bathinda. Two of my friends couldn’t escape its jaws. 

Parshotam Kumar, a resident 

Impose fines

Dengue cases are increasing in the city. No checks are being made in several markets where useless tyres and other containers are lying in the open with stagnant water in them. Officials concerned should impose fines on violators who do not maintain proper sanitation.

Binder Kumar, city resident

Dengue under control

Dengue is under control this year in the district as our teams had done hard work in the last year to counter the menace. Last year, till September 25, the number of confirmed dengue cases was 754 while this year, it’s only 15. The awareness campaigns and ‘Friday as dry day’ drive have proved significant in dealing with dengue larva. Fines on some residents were also imposed only to create awareness among the masses. Chikungunia and dengue have same symptoms but in the former, the patients also feel pain in joints and bones. There is no need of admitting patients to the dengue ward as around 95 per cent patients need primary treatment, including giving of fluid, while only five per cent patients, who are serious and need platelets, need to be admitted.

Dr Rajpal, epidemologist

NGO working for the cause

We have been conducting fogging since the beginning of the rainy season in the district. A litre of medicine costs Rs 2,000 and it can cover more than two wards in the city. The medicine is mixed in diesel and then sprayed to kill mosquitoes through fogging. The Municipal Corporation is not conducting any fogging at all. We appealed to the civic authorities to provide us medicine and we would expend on other things such as diesel and vans. But the officials of the MCB claimed that they didn’t have any funds.

Ramesh Kumar, president of NGO Aasra

Take preventive measures

The intake of papaya and giloy juice is recommended to check dropping of platelet count in patients suffering from dengue. Both giloy and papaya have preventive and curative properties and they can be taken as a preventive measure. Giloy is a tonic that has the ability to cure fever, caused due to any reason and protects liver. One can boil 10 gm dry giloy and four-five leaves of tulsi (half crushed) and consume the mixture twice in a day.

Dr Rashmi Khanna, ayurvedic doctor at Government Ayurvedic Hospital

Chikungunya

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. It causes fever and severe joint pain. Clinically, it is difficult to detect in initial stages. There are blood tests that detect the exact nature of the disease. Detection of NS1 antigen and IgM chikungunya antibodies are the tests that should be conducted to diagnose the illnesses     

Symptoms

Redness in eye and difficulty in looking at light, severe fever with headache and joint pain, rashes may also appear usually on limbs and trunks

How to avoid it

• Keep yourself fully covered when going outdoors
• Be careful during the day because that is when Aedes aegypti mosquito is most active
• Use mosquito repellent creams
• Ensure there is no stagnant water left uncovered nearby