17 UP districts lacking in anti-dengue measures

Lucknow, Oct 29 (IANS) As many as 17 districts in Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, have been identified as poor performers in case-based activities for addressing new dengue cases.

Case-based activity is the key to controlling the spread of dengue from an infected person to others, including their family members, and it should ideally be completed within 48 hours.

This approach encompasses actions such as using anti-larvicides, conducting spray fogging and screening individuals for fever in the vicinity of the new patient’s residence.

According to a letter from the additional director (Malaria), these districts have not been meeting the prescribed time limits for case-based activities.

The letter has been sent to the chief medical officers of 17 districts, which include Bareilly, Lucknow, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Meerut, Rampur, Badaun, Kannauj, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Aligarh, Jaunpur, Gorakhpur, Firozabad, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Moradabad and Bulandshahr.

The state has reported 16,500 dengue cases, with nine resulting in fatalities, till date. This includes over 1,600 dengue cases and one death in Lucknow.

In response to each new dengue case, a minimum of 50 and to 100 houses in the vicinity of the patient’s house are supposed to be screened to detect the presence of larva or individuals with fever, said officials.

When asked about the apparent lack of initiative, Dr Manoj Agrawal, the chief medical officer of Lucknow, said: “Work is being conducted in the field, but the data upload process for analysis is currently experiencing delays. Consequently, despite our efforts, the progress is not being adequately reflected.”

“We are now prioritising the timely updating of data,” he said.

In some districts, the required quantity of anti-larvicidal spray is not readily available, which is impeding the fieldwork associated with case-based activities.

The vector-borne disease control department has scheduled a high-level meeting for Monday to assess the shortcomings in these districts and establish accountability.