Officials intensify dengue prevention drive in Vellore

Over 100 people, including 34 children, admitted with high fever to govt. hospital

October 18, 2019 12:36 am | Updated 12:44 am IST - VELLORE

Government Vellore Medical College Hospital has set up two fever wards with 24x7 medical attention.

Government Vellore Medical College Hospital has set up two fever wards with 24x7 medical attention.

The alarming incidence of dengue in Vellore district, bordering with Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, has caused a severe headache for health workers, doctors and officials of municipal administration, and public health departments. The Department of Health and Family Welfare has stepped up surveillance and preventive measures in the district.

From the starting of this month, the Government Vellore Medical College and Hospital in Adukkamparai has had a steady stream of patients getting admitted with symptoms of dengue such as fever, vomiting, and severe body ache.

The hospital has set up a special Intensive Medical Care Unit to handle emergency conditions of patients getting admitted here. There are two fever wards attached with lab facilities and 24x7 medical and nursing assistance for adults, besides a similar ward with all the necessary equipments for paediatric care.

“At present we have 70 adult patients and 34 children admitted from various parts of Vellore district and adjoining States with high fever. They are being provided treatment with utmost care at the hospital. So far no alarms have been raised here,” says R. Selvi, dean of the medical college hospital.

Since it is a tertiary hospital, we get a steady patient flow from far away places like, Arakkonam, Tirupattur and neighbourhood States, she said.

‘Early detection is key’

“Early detention and adequate medical care is the need of the hour for the patients from rural areas. Despite more awareness being created about the spread of such epidemics, people still hesitate to bring the patients to the hospital in time. It is up to the peoples’ awareness and swiftness in shifting the patients that could save valuable lives,” she said.

Two wards for fever has been earmarked and a step-up ward is being set for male and female patients to get recuperated after their treatment. Once they reach the hospital at the casualty ward, their condition is being verified by specialist doctors and the stable patients are being shifted to fever wards immediately, said Dr. M. Rangaswami, head of department of the general medicine department.

After the treatment, the patients are being kept under observation for two or three days based on their recovery time, before discharging them.

“There is an intensive medical care unit attached with the fever wards in case of deterioration in the health condition of patients,” said Dr. M. Anitha of general medicine department.

Door-to-door campaign

The District Administration has asked all health workers at the village, town panchayat and municipal levels to conduct door-to-door checks and identify ingredients that could spread dengue. If found, they should be destroyed and the house owner or business owner should be fined, said District Collector A. Shanmuga Sundram on Thursday.

If anyone denies permission to carry out checks in their premises, their ‘water connection would be cut’, the Collector cautioned. Municipal health workers should keep a tab on the patients in their areas and should send a reports to the PHCs or GHs in their respective areas, he said.

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