Delhi govt asks MCDs to go for door-to-door dengue preventive measures

New Delhi: Delhi government today asked the three municipal corporations to undertake door-to-door preventive measures and awareness campaigns against dengue on a war footing by asking people not to panic by rising cases of the disease.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain, in a meeting with the Commissioners of the three civic bodies, said that there is an urgent need to dispel panic from the minds of people about the spread of dengue as the number of cases is rising by the day.

According to a senior official, the Health Minister has directed the three Commissioners to ensure that field workers reach every home to put medicines in all possible sources of stagnant clean water and carry out fumigation in residential areas and market places.

Expressing displeasure with the slow pace of fumigation, Jain said "government is receiving complaints about lack of fumigation and this lapse will not be tolerated any further. The Commissioners should take strict action against those responsible for this lapse."

The Health Secretary will be the nodal point of contact for coordination with the civic agencies - in case they require anything - ranging from medicines to awareness material, the official said.

Jain directed the civic agencies to send out bulk SMSes to people that dengue is curable and there is no cause for panic.

The minister also asked the health department and the Commissioners to prepare a daily report about the number of dengue cases in all hospitals across the national capital.

This includes all Delhi government, municipal corporations, central government and private hospitals.

The report will be tabled before the Health Minister on a daily basis.