The State had adequate stocks of medicines required to treat patients with H1N1 influenza and dengue fever, Health Minister C.Vijaya Baskar said in Pudukottai on Friday.
“The State had 20 lakh capsules of Oseltamivir meant to treat to persons with H1N1 influenza. All primary health centres, taluk and non-taluk government hospitals and medical college hospitals have adequate stocks of medicine, which is given free of cost to patients.
The capsules are being given to persons who had been in contact with patients in their family and neighbourhood. As far as dengue is concerned, adequate stock of intravenous (IV) fluids to meet the anticipated requirement for three months was available in the State. The stocks are being replenished depending on consumption,” he told reporters after inaugurating an awareness programme on prevention of fever and communicable diseases at the Government Rani’s Girls Higher Secondary School in Pudukottai.
He said intensive measures were on to check the spread of communicable diseases across the State. Teams of experts have been deputed to all 42 ‘health districts’ in the state and they would camp in the designated areas for three days, starting Friday. They have been asked to carry out multi-pronged activities such as source reduction, awareness creation and case management to ensure proper protocol at the field level. In coordination with Collectors and government departments, they are working in respective districts.
The minister disclosed that the government has delegated powers to Joint/ Deputy Directors of Health and Deans of medical college hospitals to appoint additional nurses, wherever required, to meet the situation.
Earlier, speaking at the awareness programme, Mr.Vijaya Baskar underlined the importance of hand washing for at least 30 seconds after visiting places of public congregation as an effective means of avoiding infections.
Urging the students to spread the message, he said the School Education Department has been instructed to conduct awareness programmes in schools to sensitise students on ways to protect themselves from communicable diseases. About 3.12 lakh students would be covered through such programmes in Pudukottai district, he said.
He administered a health and hygiene pledge to the students.
