DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

In a step aimed at checking the spread of Water borne Dengue in the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday launched a massive awareness campaign for 'Har Shukarvaar Dengue te Vaar'.

Launching the campaign, the Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to check the spread of dengue and other water borne diseases in the state for which this campaign has been launched.

He said that the state government has already started a ssustained Campaign of breeding checking from the month of May adding that 300 Breeding Checkers hired in the month of May and June which have been further increased to 1200 in the month of July. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the health department has initiated this mass awareness drive to sensitise the people about this disease.

The Chief Minister said that 47 Sentinel Surveillance Hospitals have been identified in all the districts and NS-1 kits and IgM kits are available for dengue testing in the State. He said that to facilitate the people, testing of Dengue and Chikungunya are being done free of cost by the state government. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that key departments of the state like Local government, Rural Department Education and others have been roped in for breaking the backbone of Dengue.

The Chief Minister said that the campaign should focus on making the state mosquitoes free so that dengue can't spread its wings in Punjab adding he gave clarion call to people to join hands against dengue and assured the state government will take steps on war footing for the success of dengue control campaign.

He asked the Health department to make elaborate arrangements for stepping up fogging in rural as well urban areas and to enhance manpower for larvae checking.

Bhagwant Singh Mann appealed to the people to keep their houses and surroundings clean to avoid spread of dengue virus adding that awareness is a key to control the disease and all the stakeholders should continue their efforts against dengue.
(editor@dailyworld.in)