Barbil: Although dengue cases in urban areas of Barbil in Keonjhar district are rising steadily, the community health centre (CHC) here lacking a testing facility has become a cause for concern. Previously, there was an ELISA test machine for detecting dengue cases, but it was shifted to the district headquarters hospital (DHH) in Keonjhar. Barbil Municipality authorities have also been criticised for not prioritising dengue prevention measures. Notably, in 2016, the dengue outbreak in Barbil drew nationwide attention when 1,138 people contracted dengue, with five fatalities. Unofficial figures suggested that more than 3,000 individuals were afflicted by the vector-borne disease. It was then when an ELISA testing machine had to be installed at Barbil CHC.
However, it was later moved to the Keonjhar DHH. Since July, patients suspected of having dengue, are being referred to the DHH. Among them, a patient named Bira Biswakarma from Sriramnagar area in Barbil was referred to Keonjhar headquarters hospital, September 1. A test of his blood samples confirmed him of having dengue. He, however, succumbed to his illness while undergoing treatment.
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On the other hand, Barbil municipality authorities issued notices to nine private companies in the area, asking them to conduct fogging drives, spray larvicide, distribution of medicated mosquito nets and launch awareness campaigns in 15 wards, as well as paying door-to-door visits as part of dengue prevention efforts, July 2. The programme which started July 15 was discontinued after the photos and videos were posted on various social media platforms. When contacted, Barbil CHC’s chief medical officer Soubhagya Rashmi Ranjan Samal said they don’t have any facility for the detection of dengue and thus lack data on the number of cases. Patients suspected of having contracted dengue are being referred to the DHH.