Delhi Government Launches 24-Hour Dengue Helpline 011-23307145

Taking serious note of the dengue outbreak in the country's capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reviewed the preparation to check the spread of the mosquito-borne disease. The Delhi government has now launched a 24-hour helpline for dengue, following a surge in the number of cases of the viral disease in Delhi. A city government official said, "The helpline 011-23307145 will function round the clock to provide all relevant information about dengue and its treatment."

The review meeting was attended by Health Minister Satyendra Jain along with 27 legislators, who are chairpersons of the Rogi Kalyam Samitis in government hospitals. Directing the legislators, Kejriwal said, "Please visit the hospitals twice every day. Ensure that this is continued till the panic of dengue is done away with. While you visit the hospital, talk to the patients. See that there is no panic. Ensure that the stock of medicines is proper, ensure that the hospital is clean and no one is turned away by the hospital."

Jain said, "The government has made the three parliamentary secretaries for health as the nodal point for coordination to handle dengue-related issues with the legislators. The parliamentary secretaries would coordinate for any kind of medicine shortage, test kit shortage and other issues related with the disease."

Meanwhile, in a separate meeting with the commissioners of the three units of the Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCD), Jain directed them to immediately ensure door-to-door dengue preventive measures and awareness campaigns on a war-footing. Jain said, "There is an urgent need to dispel the notion of panic from the minds of people about the spread of dengue."

The minister also directed the municipal commissioners to send out bulk SMSes to people with the message- "Dengue is curable and there is no cause for panic."

At the meeting, Jain said, "Field MCD workers reach every home to put medicines in all possible sources of standing clean water and carry out fumigation drives in residential areas and market places." The minister expressed displeasure with the slow pace of fumigation measures and asked the municipal commissioners to take strict action against those responsible for the lapse.

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Jain further added, "The health secretary will be the nodal point of contact for coordination with the MCD officials - in case they require anything - ranging from medicines to awareness material." He has also directed the health department and municipal commissioners to send him a daily report on the number of dengue cases in all hospitals across the capital.

Source-IANS