As the total number of dengue cases since January this year crossed the 3000 mark today, voluntary organisations have come forward to fight the outbreak in Siliguri. Along with preventive steps, the organisations today took the onus of the curative part also, to bring people under tests and treatment. Areas under the Siliguri Municipal Corporation today recorded 87 fresh cases of dengue, taking the total number of cases to 3058.

The Siliguri Suryanagar Samaj-Kalyan Sanstha has decided to introduce a fever clinic from today, while the organization has decided to conduct dengue tests and platelet count tests for people free of cost. “We have been involved in health related activities for a long time. The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) is looking into the preventive side and the health department emphasises on the clinical part. Since many people have been infected with dengue, many refrain from undergoing tests.

Therefore, we have decided to launch a fever clinic where doctors from the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital will examine the patients. If the registered medical practitioners prescribe dengue tests, the tests for those people will be done. The platelet count tests will be conducted for dengue positive persons without any charge,” said a social activist and secretary of the organization, Ashish Brahma.

In the first phase, the fever camp will be held from 22 October-5 November. “Our focus is to bring a maximum number of patients under the tests and treatment. At the same time, we are sensitizing people about dengue with distribution of leaflets and miking,” Mr Brahma said. Siliguri Welfare Organisation has also started awareness campaigns and fever camps on 19 October, where the complete blood count (CBC) is conducted free of cost.

The organisation also started dengue tests on Friday. The CBC of 22 persons were done so far, it is learnt. “We have started the dengue test facility today. According to the advice of doctors, fever patients will undergo dengue tests free of cost. The tests for five persons were conducted today. We have also started a campaign for this,” said the secretary of the organisation Jyotirmay Paul.

Doctors are advising people to use repellents and mosquito nets to prevent mosquito bites and to ensure water does not accumulate in the vicinity of their houses.

Meanwhile, former Siliguri mayor Asok Bhattacharya trained his guns at the corporation today. Mr Bhattacharya slammed the civic body for the rise in dengue cases in the town. “The corporation has not taken necessary steps when those were required, as a result the situation has gone out of control,” he alleged.