Patna: Patna divisional commissioner Kumar Ravi on Sunday asked all district magistrates (DMs) to adhere strictly to the action plan to control and prevent the spread of dengue. This includes ensuring fogging and spraying of anti-larvae chemicals as per guidelines for vector-borne diseases.
He stressed the need for vigilance due to rain, despite no current outbreak of dengue.“Rapid response teams should remain active in all primary health centres, community health centres, referral hospitals and urban primary health centres. Immediate testing of people arriving with symptoms of dengue should be done. If found positive, they should be treated properly. Active surveillance should be conducted around the patients’ homes so that new patients can be identified,” Ravi said.

Municipal bodies have been asked to conduct special campaigns for fogging and prevention of waterlogging. “Stagnant water provides a breeding ground to Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that carry and spread the infection. If mosquito breeding ground is spotted, it should be tackled promptly by the local bodies and they should carry out fumigation in a 500-metre radius of identified hotspots besides spraying larvicide,” he said.
Ravi also called for compliance with health advisories in schools and colleges, advising that students should wear clothing that covers the entire body. He stressed the importance of cleanliness in educational institutions and surrounding areas.
“Continuous monitoring of fogging in municipal areas should be supervised by health trainers and ASHA and anganwadi workers have been directed to conduct active surveillance in the areas of dengue patients. Civil surgeons have been asked to reserve beds for dengue patients at various govt health facilities,” Ravi said.
“The DMs have been asked to accelerate preventive activities and campaigns, and encourage positive health behaviours among masses. Awareness posters and banners, suggesting dos and don’ts for prevention of disease and common symptoms will be displayed at health centres, schools and other public places,” he said.
Ravi added arrangements for free detection of ELISA-based NS1 and IgM antibodies are available in identified medical colleges and hospitals. He appealed to the public to confirm positive results from the rapid diagnostic kit in hospitals for free.
Ravi directed the officials to make rapid test kits available in every block through the patient welfare committee and dengue screening facility in all urban primary health centres.

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