Question : Dengue Cases

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether there has been an increase in Dengue cases during 2019 in many States/UTs;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the number of such cases registered and deaths reported during the said period, State/UT/district-wise especially in Uttar Pradesh;

(c) whether any steps have been taken for timely identification of dengue cases in order to prevent dengue deaths, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether dengue has been controlled in Delhi to a great extent and the Government proposes to implement similar scheme in other States/UTs particularly in Uttar Pradesh, if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether instruments for dengue tests are available in laboratories of Government hospitals in States/UTs, if not, the time by which these instruments are likely to be made available; and

(f) the other preventive measures being taken to reduce the occurrence of dengue in the country?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

(a) & (b): Yes. During 2019, 25 States/Union Territories reported increase in dengue cases as compared to the corresponding period in 2018. State-wise details are at Annexure –I.

Every year there is a fluctuation in the number of cases and deaths reported from various States/ Union Territories as dengue is an ecological disease governed by various factors like climate, developmental activities, population movement, improper water supply leading to storage, inadequate solid waste management system, use of non-degradable plastics etc. During 2019, 9 States/ Union Territories reported increase in dengue deaths as compared to the corresponding period during 2018. State-wise details are at Annexure –II

District-wise details of dengue cases and deaths reported in the State of Uttar Pradesh during 2018 and 2019 are at Annexure –III.

(c) : Government of India (GOI) has taken the following steps to prevent dengue in the country during 2019:

• GOI provided Technical Guidelines for prevention and control, case management & effective community participation to the States for implementation.
• Trainings for capacity Building of doctors on case management.
• Monitoring and supervision for early case detection and prevention and control.
• In 2019, 15 advisories issued and 10 reviews held
• Free diagnostic facilities through 680 Sentinel Surveillance Hospitals (SSHs) and 16 Apex Referral laboratories (ARLs) identified across the country.
• GOI supplied 7958 Dengue (1 Kit= 96 tests) through NIV, Pune.
• Observation of National Dengue Day on 16th May across the country.
• Government of India (GoI) carries out focused IEC/BCC activities to sensitize the community on prevention and control of Dengue. Funds are also provided to the States/UTs to carry out the IEC/BCC activities to sensitize the community for source reduction activities to eliminate the mosquito vector breeding.

(d): Yes. A mega Awareness Campaign was carried out in Delhi by engaging top political leaders, senior officers of the GOI, state and Delhi Municipal Corporations during 17th to 19th July, 2019. A total of 286 teams were involved to sensitize the community on prevention and control of Dengue. After campaign, the IEC/BCC activities were intensified and continued.

Similar IEC/BCC activities were carried out by other States. The State of Uttar Pradesh carried out ‘Fight the Bite’ campaign from 28th July to 5th August, 2019 for intensification of IEC activities on Dengue.

(e): For disease surveillance and to augment free diagnostic facility for Dengue, GoI has established a network of 680 Sentinel Surveillance Hospitals (SSHs) with laboratory support. These SSHs are linked with 16 Apex Referral laboratories (ARLs) with advanced diagnostic facility.
Government of India supplies dengue IgM test kits (1 Kit= 96 tests) to these laboratories through National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.

(f): Government of India (GOI) has taken the following steps to prevent dengue in the country during 2019:
• GOI provided Technical Guidelines for prevention and control, case management & effective community participation to the States for implementation.
• Trainings for capacity Building of doctors on case management.
• Monitoring and supervision for early case detection and prevention and control.
• In 2019, 15 advisories issued and 10 reviews held
• Free diagnostic facilities through 680 Sentinel Surveillance Hospitals (SSHs) and 16 Apex Referral laboratories (ARLs) identified across the country.
• GOI supplied 7958 Dengue IgM test kits (1 Kit= 96 tests) through NIV, Pune.
• Observation of National Dengue Day on 16th May across the country.
• IEC/BCC activities to disseminate knowledge for prevention and control.
• Mega Awareness Campaign under the leadership of Hon’ble HFM was carried out by 286 teams in Delhi jointly by GoI and Municipalities in July, 2019. As a follow up of Campaign, activities carried out in Delhi NCR during August and September 2019.
• Ministries of Urban Development, Rural Development and drinking water & sanitation requested to sensitize the State counterparts for effective inter-departmental cooperation to prevent dengue.
• Funds are allocated to the States in an integrated manner for vector borne diseases including Dengue.