Set up more health care centres

Dengue has been causing a lot of trouble in all districts of Jalandhar and there is a sudden surge in its cases. As a result, the health infrastructure has been affected a lot. People from other districts and places have started coming for treatment as they do not get much facilities in their areas. The administration can take up many precautionary steps to overcome this like set up some special government funded health care centers where the people from the surrounding areas can come for treatment. There should be free blood tests so that the doctors can get to know the severity of the patient suffering from dengue. There must be a proper accommodation for the people that are having severe symptoms. As we all know that dengue only strikes when there is collection of water somewhere or mostly in the monsoon season, we can take many obvious precautionary measures to fight against it. It could or could be right or wrong to term dengue as a medical emergency because we all and the doctors are somewhat familiar with the symptoms and how it reacts and it can also be cured. It can be cured but we still don’t have to be reckless.

Sanidhya Bhaskar

Aware public of causes & symptoms

The administration needs to reveal the list of areas were fogging was carried out. Creating an atmosphere of awareness against the dengue is not sufficient until and unless intensive fogging is also carried out in the city. As last year it was Covid-19 pandemic which had created atmosphere of fear among the masses and fogging was being carried out in large number in every area. As in the private hospitals the number of patients is increasing it is high time for the administration to prepare a road map for fogging in the entire city. Political leaders should refrain from issuing statements on this sensitive issue, especially the social organisations should come forward for financial assistance to those dengue patients who are daily bread earners and are not in a position to meet up the medical bills in private super specialist hospitals. Cleanliness drive at vulnerable places should be carried out by the administration and the social organisations. Yes, we are heading towards another health emergency due to the spread of dengue. As the health services in all the other states are also available, the patients cannot be refused treatment here. It will be better that respective states should take preventive measures and arrange medical services for the dengue patients. The government should implement a blanket ban on migration of the doctors, nurses, medical and para-medical staff from India who have studied here and completed their courses. They should be a law providing for mandatory service for minimum five years in the country in which two years in rural areas and three years in urban areas before migrating abroad, the reason the number of doctors is very less as compared to the population of the country.

Rajat Kumar Mohindru

Keep city litter-free, Don’t throw garbage

Cleanliness is the important for leading a healthy life. The dengue cases are on surge as the city is in deplorable condition and Municipal Corporation does not pay heed to the problem. The aedes mosquito which spreads dengue often grows in the filthy areas. The disease is spreading fast during the festival season. People are responsible for spreading garbage in the city and they don’t even think this will make a huge complication for them and their family. People shouldn’t do this and don’t let anyone to make city murky. If they do so, dengue cases will automatically go down.

Saahil Hans

Destroy mosquito breeding grounds

After the Covid-19 pandemic, the state is now confronted with the dengue outbreak which has remained a potential challenge every year since 1990s, courtesy increased urbanisation, climate changes and apathetic and indifferent attitude of government agencies. With the rush of dengue patients from places across Punjab and other states, the district health infrastructure is over-burdened. If government hospitals lack adequate medicines, medical staff and other facilities, the private hospitals and laboratories are fleecing patients for the tests and blood units. There is not much hope from the civic authorities also. There is neither any proper sanitation drive nor timely spray of insecticides and larvicides to destroy the mosquito breeding grounds such as garbage dumps, stagnant water places and unwanted growth of grass, weeds and bushes. In the face of apathetic and nonchalant approach of the health and civic authorities, the onus to prevent and check the spread of dengue is basically on the people. The government should at least create awareness about the importance of hygiene through print and electronic media. People should properly sanitise their homes, dispose of solid waste, cover and clean water containers, flower pots, coolers etc after the rainy season. They should use mosquito repellents, ovitraps and mosquito nets, avoid skin exposure by wearing protective clothing and refrain from going outside at dawn, dusk and early morning.

Tajpreet S Kang

Health infrastructure is ill-equipped

Dengue fever is spread by the bite of mosquito Aedes aegypti. There is no doubt that our hospitals and health facilities are not up to the mark to handle such emergencies as also seen during the Covid-19 pandemic. The hospitals are overwhelmed with patients suffering from dengue. Both the government and the public are to be blamed for the sorry state of affairs. The government should have made a of anti-mosquitoes chemicals in the cities and rural areas before the onset of the disease to nip the evil in the bed. The people should be made aware of the dangers of stagnating water in the streets or homes like in coolers or other utensils. As dengue is an annual calamity, both the government and the public should have been aware of the coming disaster. But that was not to be. The government hospitals lack the equipment to separate the platelets from the blood which is needed for the Dengue patients. The platelets reduction in the dengue fever leads to bleeding tendencies which can prove fatal in many cases. The government doesn’t spend much on health and education which many countries in south and south East Asia have done. Our Government also needs to emulate these countries.

JS Wadhwa

Conduct survey of all vulnerable spots

Hardly, the people have come out of the fear of Covid pandemic, dengue outbreak has added to the woes of city residents. The government as well as private healthcare centres are abuzz with increased number of patients. Despite repeated alerts to be careful, the problem often gets aggravated due to the lack of adequate infrastructure and malfunctioning of aphaeresis machines that separate blood into platelets and other components. Attributing to the poor maintenance of equipment and the ill-preparedness to face the challenge, the disease causes big scare all around. The disease is preventable for which the health administration in coordination with the MC and NGOs should ensure cleanliness well before the rainy season, periodic fogging in the localities to prevent breeding of larvae. The health teams must conduct survey of all vulnerable spots and take required safeguards during the moist climatic conditions. Alongside, a vigorous campaign should be launched to sensitise people about the precautionary steps to be undertaken to avoid spreading of disease. The hospital staff and infrastructure should be well-equipped to face any kind of eventuality. The patients coming to hospitals ought to be promptly attended and provided urgent medical care. The government should also provide adequate trained manpower and financial support to health systems to withstand excessive burden and overcome any adverse situation in case of unusual inflow of patients for treatment. Any lackadaisical approach must be sternly dealt with, so that we do not move towards another health emergency. By all means, life and safety of the citizens has to be the top priority of our leaders.

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

Destroy larvae breeding habitats

While the Covid-19 pandemic has not yet been eradicated completely, the state is in the severe grip of dengue infections. The dramatic rise in the number of dengue cases in the past one month is a cause of serious concern. As before, public as well private hospital wards and corridors in the district are packed to capacity with dengue patients not only from other districts of Punjab but from other states also. Unfortunately, the health infrastructure repeats the same old story. In the absence of adequate medical facilities including qualified doctors, nurses and technicians, it is again overwhelmed. Due to its lackadaisical approach, the Municipal Corporation has also been unable to improve the sanitary conditions in the city. How can the health and civic administrations deal with the emerging situation effectively and efficiently? The public at large is simply not bothered to keep their homes and surroundings clean and dry. There is no specific vaccine or treatment available for dengue. In the prevailing scenario, apprehensions are rife that we might be heading towards another health emergency. Only concerted and cooperative efforts by the concerned departments and the people will help at this critical juncture. These stakeholders should strictly implement the following preventive measures to check the further outbreak of dengue: destroying larvae breeding habitats, limiting exposure to mosquitoes by wearing proper clothes, revamping the ailing health system for proper fever survey, contact tracing and adequate stock of platelets, enhancing public awareness about the viral infection and consulting the doctor in case of developing dengue symptoms.

D S Kang

Prevention is better than cure

Rise in dengue cases has overburdened our existing healthcare system and infrastructure. It has posed great challenge for system to combat a epidemic, creating a double burden. Laboratories must be more vigil while diagnosing the patients. It is difficult to distinguish between dengue and Covid-19 because of similar symptoms. We can’t rely on authorities. Ultimately, it is our life and we have to save you. The healthcare system is already overburdened with the deadly duo. Many a time it is discussed and warned the public, how to save from virus by wearing full clothes, use of repellents, cleanliness and clean pots from stagnant water. Regular fogging can be helpful. Take the help of area MC to get the fogging done. Take all the precautions to save from mosquito bite and spread of dengue.

Shashi Kiran

Identify, address reason of spread

Though the onslaught of dengue is the severest during the current season, yet it can’t be perceived as another health emergency. The emergence and spread of dengue is largely manageable provided the public and the administration take preventive measures at their end. As the reasons and circumstances leading to outbreak of dengue are identifiable and also being confined to a particular season only, there is no reason of it growing into an emergency which can’t be handled with normal health infrastructure. It is casual attitude and gross negligence on the part of the public at large and the concerned health authorities, which are solely responsible for the disease. The administration must take both preventive steps in advance and remedial measures to check the spread effectively. The public needs to be sensitised about the conditions under which the dengue mosquitoes breed and make them aware of taking preventive measures at vulnerable places.

Jagdish Chander

Focus on destroying dengue larvae

• As there is no effective vaccine against dengue, controlling and preventing its outbreak are the most essential steps to control the spread in the district and Punjab. The primary preventive measures to reduce dengue infections are the control of misquote population. One most recommended environmental management strategy is to eliminate unnecessary container habitats that collect water.
• Health officials are conducting an early awareness campaign about the symptoms of dengue and malaria needs to be undertaken regularly. The rise in dengue cases in our city is a result of sheer negligence of the health and civic authorities. Our health officials should focus on destroying the dengue larvae. The authorities concerned must take regular mosquitoes control measures and carry out fogging much before the onslaught of dengue.
• There should be one weekly ‘dry day’ to make the people aware of the measures like coolers cleaning, to curb the spread of dreaded dengue, these precautions will surely yield good results. The civic bodies as well as residents should share the blame of littering and sorry state of our streets and roads. At the same time, the residents of our cities should not abjure their own duty and responsibility of not littering their surroundings, which leads to mosquito breeding. LJ singh

QUESTION

The ETT-TET and BEd-TET qualified teachers are protesting against the state government for not keeping their promise of giving them jobs. The Congress came to power in 2017 with unemployment being one of the prime issues facing it. Do you think it is high time for the government to address shortage of teachers in government schools and release appointment letters as demanded by protesting teachers?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to jalandhardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (November 11)