Speaking to newsmen in Hyderabad, Rosaiah said that in 2005, about 99 cases of Dengue and two deaths were reported in the state.
He said that Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy ordered for constitution of a Task Force headed by Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) to monitor a three-year sustained programme to eradicate vector-borne and water borne diseases in the state. Principal Secretaries, Panchayat Raj, Tribal Welfare and Municipal Administration and Urban Development are among the other members of the Task Force.
The Chief Minister held a review meeting with and officials on the mosquito menace and the incidence of viral fevers in the state. Minister for Municipal Administration Koneru Ranga Rao and Minister for Panchayat Raj J C Diwakar Reddy were also present at the meeting.
Observing that it has become a normal exercise to address the issue of diseases caused by mosquitoes whenever the epidemics break out and then forget about it once the epidemics fizzle out, Dr Reddy suggested that the mosquito eradication programme should be a continuous one and people should be sensitized about it periodically. He wanted the officials to come out with an action plan to conduct the programme with a mission-mode.
Briefing the meeting on the steps being taken to contain the vector and water borne diseases in the State, the Health officials pointed out that in all 22,080 Malaria cases were registered in the current year 2006 but no deaths were reported. No cases of Japanese Encephalitis have been reported so far. During 2005, as many as 39,099 malaria cases and 10 deaths were reported.
Regarding the incidence of Chikungunya viral fever in the state, the officials said that 616 mandals comprising 3,861 villages were affected by this epidemic till date. Around 10,726 medical camps were conducted.
In all 4,32,069 fever cases were registered, out of which 77,373 suspected Chikungunya cases were detected and treated but there have been no fatalities.
