Prepared to tackle dengue, Covid and heatwave: Punjab Health Minister

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the state was fully geared up to deal with dengue, Covid-19 as well as the ongoing heatwave conditions.

As part of his continued efforts to lead awareness campaigns on public health, Singh visited Balongi, a semi-urban village near Mohali under the state-wide drive titled “Har Shukkarvaar, Dengue Te Vaar.” He interacted with residents, visiting households and demonstrating how common water containers — such as air cooler tanks, refrigerator trays, flower pots, and bird water vessels — can become breeding grounds for Dengue larvae.

During the visit, the minister awarded cash prizes of Rs 500 each to ASHA workers Sompreet Kaur and Saroj for identifying mosquito larvae in a cooler tank.

He further informed that over 50,000 field teams — including nursing students, multipurpose health workers, breeder checkers, and school teachers — are mobilized every Friday for door-to-door checks and community education.

Interacting with the media, the Minister highlighted last year’s success where awareness efforts halved the number of Dengue cases. “This year, we aim to achieve an 80% reduction,” he stated.

Singh also addressed the growing threat of heatwaves, advising people to avoid outdoor exposure during peak afternoon hours.

On the Covid-19 situation, the Minister said while there has been a spike in neighbouring states like Delhi and Haryana, Punjab has recorded only 31 mild, asymptomatic cases so far.