Despite the Health and Family Welfare department insisting there was no dengue epidemic in Nagaland, it has now admitted that there are altogether 1,523 dengue patients admitted at District Hospital, Mon (DHM) while 23 patients were referred outside the district.
According to official sources, the figure was contained in a report from Dr. Thomas Keppen deputy CMO, Mon and medical superintendent (IC) Dr. Aman Konyak. It was also informed that the hospital was providing medicines and conducting investigations free on all admitted patients through Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme and Ayushman Bharat card holders.
The officials disclosed that following a meeting with the Health & Family Welfare minister P Paiwang Konyak on Sunday, it was decided that Elisa test would be made available in DHM, while operational cost of manpower outsourced from other districts would be managed by the H&FW department.
Further, requirement of human resources, especially medical officers, nurses and lab technicians would be addressed from various sources, printer for CBC 5 chamber would be supplied, separate dengue ward arranged at DHM by making needed infrastructure adjustment and municipal board would maintain the sanitation in the wards and towns in the district. The officials emphasised community participation, especially civil society organisations (CSOs), in combating the dengue outbreak.
(However, as per the figure in a table issued by the H&FW department on October 26, Mon recorded only 933 dengue cases with one death. As per the figures released on October 26, overall, the total number of dengue cases reported in Nagaland was 2899.)
Paiwang donates Rs. 2 lakhs, assures support
Meanwhile, amidst the dengue outbreak in Mon district, health minister P Paiwang Konyak visited DHM on Sunday, his second official visit since the occurrence of dengue in the district.
During the visit, the minister donated Rs 2 lakh to the hospital for emergency fund and inspected the hospital, interacted with patients and attendants, before holding a closed-door meeting with medical officers and nurses of the hospital.
Dr Thomas Keppen briefed the minister about the current situation and sought additional manpower, including nurses, to combat the dengue outbreak.
In response, Paiwang appreciated the doctors and nurses of DHM for their efforts to control the dengue outbreak and managing to curb the spurt in dengue cases in recent times. He assured to extend additional manpower as soon as possible.
He also reiterated to provide printer for Complete Blood Count (CBC) 5 Chamber, which he had previously donated. He asked the district hospital authorities to segregate dengue patients and other general patients, so that accurate procedure of treatment could be carried out.
The minister stressed community participation in the fight to control the rise of dengue cases in the district.
He mentioned that the administration, H&FW Department and CSOs could act as “three wings” to control dengue outbreak in the community, especially in Mon district.
He acknowledged Mon district legislators, Konyak Baptist Bumeinok Bangjüm (KBBB), individuals and all those who had generously donated cash and kind to the DHM.