Dengue: 4 states' health ministers to meet

Alarmed by the increase in dengue cases in the North, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has called a meeting of the affected states on October 5 but said there is no need for panic as it is not an epidemic.

"I am meeting the health ministers of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on Thursday. We will discuss steps for preventing its spread," he told reporters.

"There is no need for panic. It is not an epidemic. Things are under control. There is a need for awareness," he said. Ramadoss said the total number of dengue cases are 497, but added that the number could go up by this evening as the Director General of Health Services R K Srivastava is holding a meeting with the MCD, NDMC and health officials.

He said the Delhi government is doing well in containing the situation and his ministry is providing medication and chemicals to all affected states. "More manpower has been augmented." He termed the situation at All India Institute of Medical Sciences as "unfortunate" where one of its seventh semester students died last week.

"It is very unfortunate that AIIMS has come to this. But they are doing their best. It is only a referral hospital, but people who have fever are walking in for admission. This creates lot of backlog," he said.

Ramadoss said he has spoken to AIIMS authorities to fix responsibility on those who failed to take preventive measures in stopping mosquito breeding in the campus.

"No action has been taken against anyone. I have asked the administration to fix responsibility. Whoever is responsible should be penalised," the minister said.

Out of the 46 patients in AIIMS, who are receiving treatment for dengue, 16 are from its campus, while 30 are outsiders. Ramadoss added that for the past six months the ministry has been periodically advising all the authorities about sanitation and preventing mosquito breeding.