Dengue claims 9 lives in Tamil Nadu; Minister urges public cooperation

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has recorded nine dengue-related deaths this year, Health and Family Welfare Minister K G Arunraj said on Friday (September 18), while assuring that the situation remained under control and urging people to cooperate with intensified mosquito-control measures.

The Minister said dengue cases rose from 61 on September 14 to 133 on September 15 and 283 on September 16, before declining to 244 on September 17. He attributed the fluctuations to seasonal factors and said the Health and Family Welfare department was taking all precautionary measures.

“People need not panic,” Arunraj said, adding that adequate mosquito-control workers had been deployed across all districts. A dedicated dengue treatment protocol has also been prepared and government hospital doctors trained to follow it.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had convened a review meeting on dengue and issued directions to ministers and officials, he said. Mosquito-control workers have been conducting house-to-house visits and removing stagnant water. Industries and construction companies have also been warned against allowing water to accumulate, with fines to be imposed for violations.

“Public cooperation is essential in mosquito-control activities,” the Minister said, stressing that preventing dengue required a coordinated effort involving multiple departments and the community.

Arunraj was speaking after launching the pre-release event of Vizhithirai Kaappom, a State initiative for early detection of retinal disorders, at the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology and Government Ophthalmic Hospital in Egmore here.

The programme will cover 385 block-level government primary health centres, 37 district headquarters hospitals and 150 urban primary health centres, besides government general, district and medical college hospitals. The Regional Institute of Ophthalmology and Government Ophthalmic Hospital will serve as the nodal institution, providing technical support, training and equipment.

The initiative aims to screen people aged above 30 once a year, besides those with diabetes and hypertension, to detect retinal disorders early and facilitate specialised treatment. Arunraj said public opinion would be sought before making fundus screening mandatory for diabetics.

On medical education, he said six new nursing colleges would be established in Tirunelveli, Tiruchy, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai and Namakkal at a cost of Rs 270.26 crore. Additional seats have also been created in nursing, pharmacy and 12 allied-health courses.