Centre assures to support Odisha to fight against dengue

BHUBANESWAR: The Centre on Friday assured Odisha Government to extend all necessary support to strengthen its efforts towards management of dengue menace in the State.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda said the Centre is ready to extent all assistance to the State in terms of preventive and curative measures for managing the situation. 

Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram had met Nadda and MoS Faggan Singh Kulaste at New Delhi on Friday. Expressing concern over the rising cases of dengue in Barbil and neighbouring areas in Keonjhar district he requested for a team of doctors to be sent to the State to assist it in managing the situation.

Responding to the request, Nadda spoke to Health Minister of Odisha Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and discussed the dengue situation. He assured the State Health Minister of full cooperation and Central Government support in its efforts.

Nayak however thanked Nadda and informed him that presently the situation was under control and he would request for the Health Ministry’s assistance if and when the need arises. 

Kulaste, who arrived at Bhubaneswar to visit the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Saturday, said a team of doctors from New Delhi would soon visit the dengue hit areas in the State.

Meanwhile, the State Government has asked the Managing Director of IDCO, all district collectors and industry houses to remain alert for the rising dengue cases.

Principal Secretary of Health Arti Ahuja has urged them for intensification of immediate measures for dengue prevention and containment. The deadly virus has assumed alarming proportion in the State with 1,109 positive cases and two deaths in a month.

Since the mineral belt of Keonjhar district and industrial areas of Jagatpur have recorded more cases, she has asked the industries and mining establishments to identify areas in their localities where water is stagnant and mobilise additional manpower to drain out water on war footing.

Whenever water can't be drained out, the industrial units have been asked to apply larvacide and keep repeating the cleaning after each rainfall besides sensitising the workers on wearing full sleeves clothes.