BENGALURU: Bengaluru’s civic body has demanded more field officers and ASHA workers to prevent an increase in dengue infections in the city. Speaking at a walkathon organised by BBMP and department of health and family welfare, as part of National Dengue Day, BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) Dr KV Thrilok Chandra said that a proposal had been sent to the state government to allocate more field officers and ASHA workers to control dengue and other vector-borne diseases in the city.
“We need more staff for door-to-door surveillance and fumigation to monitor breeding of larvae sites and spread awareness,” Dr Chandra said. Agreeing with this, Health Commissioner Randeep D stated, “To prevent mosquito breeding, it is very important that people cooperate. We cannot do this alone.”
Dr Chandra also requested private hospitals to ensure there is continuous reporting of the disease. “Dengue comes under notifiable diseases, and has to be compulsorily reported. Many private hospitals are not reporting confirmed cases,” he complained, and asked Dr Prasanna, president of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), to sensitise hospitals to report cases.
Dengue is a viral fever that is transmitted by the bite of an aedes aegypti mosquito during the day. Speaking to TNIE, Dr Brunda MS, consultant, internal medicine, Aster CMI Hospital, advised people not to allow water to stagnate.
Karnataka has the second highest number of dengue cases in the country this year, with Bengaluru topping the list in the state with 331 cases. East Zone reported the highest number of cases.