No shortage of facilities nationwide: Nadda on upsurge of vector borne diseases

New Delhi, [India], Sept 14 (ANI): Urging people to take steps to combat the spurge of vector borne diseases, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Wednesday said that no complaints of shortage of medicine or doctors and testing facilities have been reported, adding the Centre is fully prepared to tackle the crisis. Nadda said the Centre held a review meeting in this regard and found out that there is an increase in the cases of Chikungunya in Delhi whereas hike in cases of Dengue have been reported in West Bengal, Odisha and Karnataka. Meanwhile, the people in West Bengal have tested positive for malaria also. Nadda while addressing a press conference informed that no complaints of shortage of medicine or doctors and testing facilities have been reported. "We today held a review meeting in regard with the upsurge of vector borne diseases. In Delhi, an increase in cases of Chikungunya has been reported and meanwhile large number of cases of fever has been reported. In West Bengal, Odisha and Karnataka, cases of dengue have been reported. Meanwhile in West Bengal, the cases of malaria have been reported," said Nadda. "One thing is clear that there is no shortage of medicine anywhere, neither any shortage of testing facilities has been reported. And the reports of testing capacity, doctors and protocols state that everything is in place. We have received no complaints so far against either the doctors' not following protocols or shortage of any facility," he added. Nadda said the Centre has from the month of January issued advisories in connection with dengue and chikungunya. "The Centre is reviewing the situation on a day-to-day basis and in fact a meeting has been called tomorrow morning which I'll be reviewing myself. I would also like to say that no one should panic may it be chikungunya or dengue. There is a need to take symptomatic treatment and increase liquid intake," he said. "We have shared around eleven detailed advisories with the state government where we have told the states to take measures and steps in context of such diseases," he added. Nadda further said the Centre also held three video conferences in the regard, adding that he had also called on the Delhi Health Minister and authorities of NDMC and MCD and guided them with the protocol which was to be followed. "In one video conference, I addressed the state Health Ministers. The second was addressed by the Secretary and the third was done by heads of vector borne diseases," he said. Meanwhile, Nadda also urged the people not to panic and help in pacifying the current upsurge of vector borne diseases. "One thing I would like to add more is that no one should panic may it be chikungunya or dengue. There is a need to take symptomatic treatment and increase liquid intake," he said. "We also need help from people as we need to stop the mosquitoes from breeding, we are taking care of public places but we urge people to check places around them. We have also taken out a dengue app," Talking about the menace of Chikungunya in the national capital, Nadda said that he has spoken to Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain and assured him of all help. "I had also told the Delhi Government that the Centre will look into all matters raised by them but they have said that as of now they don't need any help as of now," he said. "I have also instructed the Delhi Government to check the water logging at construction sites also," he added. However, the chairperson at the Sir Ganga Ram hospital, which has witnessed multiple Chikungunya deaths, said that they have not received any information in writing. "Have just received e-mail from Govt of India that death reported in Ganga Ram hospital of chikungunya positive patients should be probed a little more and information should be given to them," said Sir Ganga Ram hospital chairman Dr D.S. Rana. "By and large the message is very clear that chikungunya is not a very fatal disease, people should not get frightened. Hospitals are doing their best then be it government or private," he added. The hospitals in Delhi witnessed at least four more deaths due to complications arising from chikungunya, taking the total number of deaths to five. (ANI)