Dengue under control in Puducherry: CM Narayanasamy

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy today said the dengue menace was under control.

Talking to reporters after visiting the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Research Institute here, he noted that patients from neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu formed a majority of in-patients at the facility.

His response comes a day after Lt Governor Kiran Bedi expressed concern over increase in dengue cases in the Union Territory.

The chief minister said necessary drugs and equipment were available to provide care for those admitted with complaints of fever.

He also made a round of hospital wards and spoke to patients suffering from the disease.

Accompanied by Welfare Minister M Kandasamy and Parliamentary Secretary to Chief Minister, K Lakshminarayanan, the Congress leader visited the male and female wards and ascertained the scale of treatment available to patients.

Narayanasamy said Local Administration Minister A Namassivayam and Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao had already initiated steps including fogging of all vulnerable areas to eradicate mosquitoes.

The anti-mosquito drive had been intensified at all levels and adequate supply of drugs and equipment were available, he added.

After holding a meeting with officials of various departments, including health and local administration, Bedi had yesterday said the medical reports indicated that there was a 700 per cent rise since last year in the incidence of dengue in Puducherry.

The Narayanasamy-led Congress government in Puducherry has been at loggerheads with the Lt Governor over a host of issues.