Meagre resources to combat an ever increasing Dengue outbreak

Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 22  

The public disbelief in the state government’s medical capability is further brought to fore by the current Dengue outbreak in Dimapur. Increasing every year, the government’s lackadaisical response to the annual outbreak in Dimapur is rather disconcerting since the state recorded its first Dengue case in 2009.  

The district wing of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) is but left overwhelmed in the backdrop of meagre resources. All that the district wing of the NVBDCP could boast of are 5-6 fogging machines that could hardly cover the city let alone the district. The existing machines, according to the district NVBDCP, are manually operated making it practically difficult to cover areas as desired. The main vehicle mounted fogging machine has gone into disuse for many years now owing to mechanical problems brought on by aging. The machine, said to be over 15 years old, lacks spares rendering it almost useless.  

While the department is said to have proposed a replacement, the response from the government has not been forthcoming.  

As the powers that be choose to keep mum, positive Dengue cases have reaches triple figures since the first case was detected in July-August this year. According to Dr Moa, District Programme Officer, NVBDCP, 131 suspected blood samples have tested positive out of 435 samples tested (as on October 17).  

The district had on record 8 positive cases around mid-October in 2016.   According to Dr. Moa, the number of suspect samples collected at the designated lab for testing has come down as opposed to 2016 but the number of positive cases being detected is definitely on the higher side this year.  

“Initially, cases were confined to NST colony, Dhobinulla, Thahekhu, Lhomithi colony areas but it has spread to other areas,” said Dr. Moa. There have been cases of patients being brought from other districts. He though said that the source of infection pointed to Dimapur. “The travel history of the patients indicated that the contracted it in Dimapur.”  

Asked on the control measure adopted, Dr. Moa informed that fogging operations are being conducted regularly in areas reported to be endemic. Further, the fogging operations are subject to weather conditions.  

Despite, citizens have expressed displeasure at the department’s response to the annual outbreak.  

“Where is the fogging from the department,” a resident from Fellowship Colony complained. Similar complaints were also heard from Duncan and Sewak Colony. “Asking the public to be aware alone is not enough. Advisories should be followed up with strong governmental response on the ground.”  

DMC to raise awareness on Dengue

Meanwhile, in view of the “serious outbreak” of Dengue in and around the Dimapur Municipal area, the Dimapur Municipal Council in collaboration with the Medical Department is organizing an hour-long awareness training on October 25 at 11AM at the Town Hall.  

DMC Administrator, Moa Sangtam informed all chairpersons of colony councils and GBs under the Dimapur Municipal area to attend the awareness training “without fail.” A follow up exercise will be taken up in each colony by the Council after this training, it was informed.