AMRI Hospitals Kolkata prepares to reduce the possibility of a dengue outbreak through awareness campaigns and well-equipped hospitals. Government and private authorities are preparing for a possible dengue spate, this monsoon in Kolkata.
The disease which is often regarded as the most dangerous mosquito-borne disease in many tropical areas has claimed many lives in the past. Moreover, there have been numerous outbreaks of dengue in the last few years, across different states, which have been hard to curb.
Recently, the disease has become a lot more dangerous, killing dozens of people across India, especially in 2017. More than 2,800 cases were reported till July 31 in the last one year. Kerala reported the maximum dengue cases with 13,913, followed by Tamil Nadu with 5,474 cases.
On the other hand, Karnataka reported 4,186 cases, while Andhra Pradesh reported 798 cases. West Bengal, with 571 cases and Maharashtra with 460 cases also remained in the spotlight.
The prevailing conditions are suggesting another possible outbreak in all the densely populated states. In Kolkata, the first dengue case was reported in the month of June itself, raising the level of fear among the locals.
To counter the diseases' outspread, AMRI Hospitals has planned and organized a social media awareness campaign. Tagged #AMRIagainstDengue, the campaign uses social media to spread ideas and information related with the disease, along with doctors' advice for prevention and respite.
The campaign ties up perfectly with the current predicament of mosquito-borne diseases in the region as well as the rainy season. "People often ignore the message related to precautionary measures as it's not communicated effectively, often through traditional modes of communication. Through the hospital's social media campaigns, we hope to gain the attention of public and create awareness - effectively curbing the spread of Dengue," stated a doctor at AMRI Hospital Dhakuria.
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Doctors at AMRI Hospitals recommend blood tests to rule out dengue when a person feels symptoms like headache, pain, nausea, vomiting or rashes, combined with fever.
In addition to the social media campaign, AMRI-Dhakuria has also planned an 'Anti-Dengue' month throughout August to ramp up awareness and treat dengue-afflicted patients with more efficacies. The hospital, which has its branches at Dhakuria, Salt Lake and Mukundapur, also boasts of internal medicine specialists to counter dengue-like cases.
After the deadly dengue outbreak in several parts of the country, West Bengal is vulnerable to the dangerous disease with persistent drizzle creating a thriving ground for the disease. These mosquitoes can breed on a thin film of fresh water in containers, tanks, buckets, vases and even bottle caps.
The initiative works in tandem with the West Bengal government's efforts to curb dengue and avoid the possibility of an outbreak in the state.
Spread by Aedes Aegypti, dengue has fatal complications and can even lead to death in some cases. It is important to take precautions, such as wearing full sleeve clothes, not allowing breeding of mosquitoes around the house and using mosquito repellents to stay safe from the disease. A five step 'mozzie wipeout' is highly recommended by doctors in addition to the measures to alleviate dengue's symptoms. The doctors also recommend that the current season is the right time to start mosquito control and surveillance measures before the larvae start hatching.
According to reports, World Health Organization (WHO), reports, around 50 to 100 million people get affected by the disease each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) records more than 20,000 deaths occur every year in nearly 100 countries, making dengue one of the deadliest diseases across the world. Something as trivial as a mosquito causing this scale of death worldwide, through lack of awareness must be addressed by private and public enterprises to ensure proper healthcare and safer surroundings. Fortunately, for Kolkata, AMRI Hospitals seems to have Kolkata's health covered.