Use ELISA test instead of rapid diagnostic kit to detect dengue: KMC urges private labs

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has asked the private diag-nostic laboratories to conduct ELISA test instead of using Rapid Diagnostic Test Kit to determine the occurrence of dengue.

A high-level meeting was held at KMC headquarters on S N Banerjee Road on Friday afternoon, which was chaired by Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh. Apart from senior civic officials, officials of the state Health department and representatives of more than 100 pathological laboratories also attended the meeting.

The civic officials told the representatives of private laboratories that platelet count was not enough and Packed Cell Volume (PCV) test should be carried out to determine plasma leakage.

The civic authorities also urged the representatives of private nursing homes to follow the guidelines issued by the state Health department in patient management.

Senior civic officials alleged that in 2018, some dengue deaths could have been avoided had proper monitoring been done by some private nursing homes.

The civic officials also interacted with representatives of the private diagnostic centres and private nursing homes. The KMC is committed to reduce the number of dengue cases in the city and bring the number of deaths due to dengue to zero, they reiterated.

The civic authorities are carrying out anti-dengue drives throughout the year. The first phase of the drive, which started in February, will continue till June. The second phase will start in July and continue till September.

The third phase will start in October and continue till December. The fourth phase will be to follow up the measures taken up to eradicate dengue.

The state government has provided Rs 4 crore to carry out campaigns against the disease. Rallies in all the 144 wards were carried out in February. The central rally was taken out from KMC headquarters.

The people have been asked to ensure that garbage is cleared from their residence every day. They have been further asked to clean the containers which are used to store water at

least once a week and ensure that the underground reservoirs and overhead tanks have covers.

The KMC has identified 20 wards which are vulnerable to dengue. Special measures have been taken in these wards. The civic officials are visiting every household and are examining the overhead tanks and underground reservoirs.

If the garbage is not found cleaned, the civic authorities take up special cleaning operation. The KMC teams visit institutional buildings as a part of the drive as well.