In a shocking reveal, Karnataka minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dinesh Gundu Rao, on Thursday said Bengaluru city has reported more than 3,200 dengue cases in the span of two months. As many as 1,649 and 1,590 dengue cases were observed in July and August, respectively, whereas 416 cases have been reported in September so far, he said.
The minister held a meeting with officials from Bengaluru’s civic and administrative body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), to discuss the rise of dengue cases in the city. BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath and other highly placed officers were present at the meeting, where the minister gave instructions to curb the spread of the viral disease.
His instructions include increased testing for dengue in BBMP’s six “high tech” labs, as well as vector control methods such as praying of pesticides in the city to get rid of mosquitoes which carry the virus.
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The alarming and sudden spike in dengue cases is mainly because of stagnant rain water, Rao told news agency PTI. “I have given directions to the officials to work more to control dengue. This month, the cases have risen. We have taken it seriously and now we have given instruction to take measures,” he said.
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The health minister also said salaries of healthcare workers including Auxiliary Nurses and Midwives (ANM) will be hiked from ₹12,000 per month to ₹18,000.
“They (BBMP) say that these ANM and main health workers are not coming forward because of low pay. We have decided to give an additional ₹6,000 from our department. Now they will start the process of recruiting them,” the minister said.
(With inputs from PTI)
