Balasore: Health and Family Welfare minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak today arrived in Balasore town on a surprise visit to take stock of the outbreak of diarrhoea, which has assumed alarming proportion in the district.
Soon after his arrival, Nayak went to the district headquarters hospital (DHH) and went round the Medicine, Paediatrics and Infection wards and interacted with the patients.
At a review meeting later, the minister discussed the situation in Oupada area of the district from where highest number of patients suffering from diarrhoea have been hospitalised.
Balasore MP Rabindra Jena, along with five MLAs of the district, Zilla Parishad chairperson and district collector were present at the meeting.
“One of the best preventives against diarrhoea is clean environment. Besides, patients suffering from the water-borne disease should drink boiled water to ensure there is no contamination. Today I had visited the district headquarters hospital and visited a number ofwards. What I found was that most of the diarrhoea patients are from Nilagiri and Oupada areas. I have advised them to take necessary precautions for their early cure,” the Health minister told media persons after the review meeting.
Referring to the dengue situation in the state, Nayak said special provisions have been made in SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for treatment of dengue patients. “A special dengue ward has been opened in the hospital. Earlier, there were 50 beds in the ward, which has now been increased to 100. If necessary, we will add more beds considering the inflow of the patients. A team of doctors has been put on duty in the ward round the clock for timely treatment of the patients," he said.
Nayak also said considering the spread of dengue to other districts, the state government has formed a task force to bring the incidence of the disease under control.
“For early diagnosis of the dengue virus, the state government has decided to provide ELISA machines to the hospitals which do not have the equipment at present.
Earlier in the day, the minister was shown black flags by the BJP members protesting the failure of the government in containing dengue and diarrhoea in the district. Police detained more than 30 party activists.