Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Monday held an important review meeting with Medical Superintendents (MS) and Medical Directors (MD) of all the state government hospitals over the prevention of dengue in the national capital.

The minister took stock of the preparedness in view of the vector borne diseases, while the concerned officials and medical institutions chiefs gave detailed information about the availability of medicines in hospitals, arrangement for dengue beds and other preparations.

Bhardwaj also gave instructions to take necessary steps to prevent the serious vector borne disease. He has directed the concerned department and officials to intensify fogging and cleaning campaigns in dengue prone areas.

The Health Minister issued instructions to MS and MDs to visit hospitals daily, and keep a check on measures to prevent mosquito breeding.

“If mosquito breeding is seen around hospitals, immediately inform the Municipal Corporation of Delhi,” Bhardwaj told the officials.

He has directed all the hospitals to ensure the availability of mosquito nets in sufficient quantities for the patients, and also keep the stock of medicines ready.

The minister also issued instructions to run awareness campaigns and broadcast information on dengue and measures to prevent the disease through social media and other modes of communications.

This is the second high level meeting called by the Health Minister during the past one week regarding the important issue.

In the meeting several officials of different hospitals informed that special arrangements have been made for dengue patients by reserving some beds only for them, where only dengue and malaria patients will be admitted.

This will ensure that they are given proper care, and also the other patients may not get affected, and mosquito nets will be put around the dengue and malaria patients so that no mosquito who bites the patient can spread the disease to other patients.

The decision has also been taken to spread awareness about the vector borne diseases in schools and public places by running awareness campaigns with the help of the education department.

During the last meeting over the issue, Bharadwaj had issued directions to schools to instruct the students to wear full sleeved clothes and also ensure routine fogging and maintain cleanliness in the school premises.

The Minister has also asked the top officials of the hospitals to ensure that they make necessary rules to tackle the serious diseases and ensure that the rules are followed.

He has also warned the officials of action in case the situation is overlooked and short comings are found in this regard.

The Health Minister on June 5 had convened a meeting to ensure preparedness against dengue during the monsoon.

Officials from various departments including Home and Family Welfare (H&FW), GNCTD, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), Public Works Department (PWD), Directorate of Education (DoE), Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), and Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) had attended the meeting on Friday night.

In the meeting, the DGHS had informed that 40 lakh pamphlets have been printed centrally for distribution among the public and the genome sequencing of samples has been increased.

The MCD briefed the Minister that all schools under it are providing kids with dengue homework cards, while the checking of mosquito breeding was stepped up.