CHENNAI: Health Department has cautioned parents against administering injection for fever or giving over-the-counter drugs as children are more affected by dengue in the State than adults. On Friday alone, 61 children affected by dengue were undergoing treatment at Institute of Child Health, Egmore. Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar inspected the hospital later in the day.
“There are 61 dengue positive children and one swine flu case under treatment at the hospital. Of 61, 17 children are from Chennai and others are from Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts,” said a senior doctor in the hospital.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, the minister said,” There are dengue cases in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts. Children are more affected by dengue than adults. We have instructed the private hospitals through Indian Medical Association and Tamil Nadu Medical Council not to administer injection for fevers. We also found that one child was administered steroid injection by a private doctor and we have complained to the Tamil Nadu Medical Council also.
The State Health Department is taking efforts on a war footing to prevent deaths. He further said that additional and joint directors level teams had been constituted in all districts to monitor the situation. On Saturday, the department will conduct a mass cleaning to reduce breeding sources of mosquitoes.
Health secretary J Radhakrishnan said, “There are sufficient stocks of Oseltamivir tablets for swine flu. People with respiratory problems like asthma and those with obesity and diabetes can start taking Oseltamivir if there are mild symptoms. Treatment should not be delayed at any cost,” he said.