BENGALURU: To tackle the increasing number of cases of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), health and family welfare minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday announced that the government will distribute free of cost Depa- tick repellent oil to people. The minister also announced that free medical treatment will be given to all the KFD-affected patients.
The minister said that directions have been issued to all the hospitals to give free treatment. At the meeting the minister said that there is a rush in the number of cases. From January 1, till February 18, the state has reported 4080 KFD positive cases and two deaths. Most of the cases are in Uttara Kannada and Shivamogga. He said that so far 62,794 Depa- tick repellent oil bottles have been distributed to the people. “If required more will be procured. The oil is locally made and action on increasing its production has been initiated. Sufficient stock of the oil is available with the government,” Rao told the officials in the meeting.
At the meeting it was also decided that members of the rapid response teams will be visiting the effected districts and giving timely suggestions and instructions. The minister said at the state level for effective management of the disease, KFD programme has been integrated with other communicable disease surveillance under Deputy Director- State Surveillance Unit and Communicable Diseases.
Rao also said DCMO- Visual Detection Level (VDL) Shivamogga has been vested with administrative powers and responsibilities of DD- VDL for proper management and control of the KFD disease in Shivamoga and all other KFD affected districts.
The health minister along with ministers Madhu Bangarappa and Mankal S Vaidya held a meeting with health department district incharge ministers and officials from Chikkamagalur, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga and Malnad regions on KFD, the rising cases, the treatment and strategies needed to control the number of cases on Monday in the City.
Also present were district in-charge ministers of the affected districts, along with members of Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council Araga Gyanendra, Beluru Gopalakrishna, Bhimanna Nayak, H D Thammaiah, Nayana Motamma, T D Rajegowda, S Rudregowda, D S Arun, S V Sankanuru, and C K Ramamurthy.