Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], April 16 (ANI): The Uttarakhand Health Department has issued updated guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for the management of dengue and chikungunya, aiming to strengthen preventive and responsive measures across the state.

R Rajesh Kumar, Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, said that these guidelines were released every year, typically in April, to ensure timely preparedness.

'We have issued guidelines and SoPs on behalf of the Health Department for the management of Dengue and Chikungunya. We release this every year, normally in April, so that our action plan is prepared beforehand,' Kumar said while speaking to ANI.

He further stated that the preventive strategies focus on source reduction, which involves eliminating mosquito breeding grounds.

'Under the preventive strategy, we work on source reduction, which includes the destruction of larvae...All government and private hospitals have been directed to reserve separate beds for dengue patients...' he added.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Uttarakhand Health Department implemented a concrete and comprehensive action plan to prevent deadline infectious diseases like dengue and chikungunya.

Keeping in mind the high possibilities of the spread of dengue and chikungunya during the summer and rainy seasons, comprehensive guidelines have been issued for inter-departmental coordination, active medical arrangements, public awareness, monitoring and field action to deal with these diseases in all the districts of the state.

This entire campaign ensures the active participation of many departments, including the Municipal Corporation, Health Department, Jal Nigam, Education Department, Rural Development, and Information and Public Relations Department.

Health Secretary Dr. R Rajesh Kumar said that on the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat, all departments, including the Health Department, have been alerted. Detailed guidelines have been issued.

The Health Secretary appealed to the general public and said that the participation of every citizen is necessary in the fight against dengue-chikungunya.

Health Secretary Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar said, 'Cleanliness is the first step to prevent mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya. Unless we reduce sources, mosquitoes cannot be completely controlled. Therefore, all the concerned departments have been directed to run continuous cleanliness campaigns and also make the community a partner in this effort.'

Kumar also said that municipal corporations and municipal bodies have been directed to regularly focus on cleanliness campaigns, cleaning of drains, removing waterlogging and garbage disposal. Under source reduction, teams of ASHA workers will be trained and activated in the field, who will go door-to-door to make people aware. Fogging will also be done as per need so that adult mosquitoes can be eliminated. For the public awareness campaign, full use of IEC resources like handbills, posters, banners, street plays, and seminars in schools will be ensured. All blocks have been instructed to prepare micro plans and send them to the state NVBDCP unit.

Instructions have been given to implement arrangements as per the Government of India guidelines for the treatment of dengue and chikungunya patients in state and private hospitals. Separate dengue isolation wards will be set up in all districts, which will have an adequate number of beds with mosquito nets, trained doctors, nursing staff and necessary equipment. Timely supply of platelets, ELISA test kits and other medicinal materials has been made mandatory for critical patients (DHF/DSS). Suspected patients will be identified through a fever survey, and if a positive case is found, space spray/focal spray action will be taken within a radius of 50 meters from the patient's house. The Rapid Response Team (RRT) has been put on alert mode in every district so that immediate action can be taken in case of an emergency.

The Health Secretary said, 'The fight against dengue and chikungunya is not just the responsibility of the government but also the collective responsibility of the society. Unless the correct information reaches the general public, the efforts for prevention will remain incomplete.' The public awareness campaign will be given top priority in all the districts. Coordination will be established by holding CME meetings with IMA, private hospitals, and pathology labs so that misconceptions can be removed. A media spokesperson will be appointed in all the districts who will ensure the communication of positive information.

Helpline 104 functioning at the state headquarters has been kept fully active for the public so that any person can share his doubt or problem and get immediate advice. During the dengue infection period, control rooms will be set up in all the districts, and their numbers will be made available to the state NVBDCP unit. All districts have been directed to ensure daily reporting by 4 pm every day, whether there is a case or not. (ANI)