Centre to set up Apex Referral Institute at Ahmedabad hospital

New Delhi, Oct 11 (UNI) The Centre has accepted Gujarat's demand for setting up an apex referral institute at the B J Medical College, Ahmedabad for an advance diagnosis of virology.

This was stated by Gujarat Health Minister Ashok Bhatt, who attended a meeting of State Health Ministers on chikungunya and dengue, convened by the Union Health Ministry here today.

At the meeting, Mr Bhatt apprised that the state government had taken a number of steps to prevent and control chikungunya by organising two rounds of meeting of health officers at the state, district and block levels.

A series of meetings with NGOs and Medical Officers were also organised and sufficient medical supplies made available to all district health centres, he said.

''By spreading awareness among the people and taling timely steps, we have not allowed the occurrence of a single death in the state on account of chikungunya or dengue,'' Mr Bhatt pointed out.

The Gujarat Health Minister also suggested taking help of Ayurvedic and homoeopathic medicines for treating the disease caused by the mosquito bites.

"Chikungunya is mentioned in Bhavprakash, an Ayurvedic text, as 'Sandhig Sannipathik Jwar'. The symptoms of Chikungunyaare identical with Sandhig Sannipathik Jwar,'' he said and suggested that Ayurvedic medicines should also be used for treating it.

Mr Bhatt said Gujarat had experienced heavy rains during the monsoon season. Even dry areas like Kutch waslashed by torrential rains.

''We still succeeded in controlling the epidemic by making a strategic planning and enlisting support of medical colleges,'' he said.

Elaborating, he said 3600 malaria link volunteers were trained for fever surveillance and anti-larval activities in June this year. The laboratory services were strengthened by outsourcing the activity thgrough the Indian Red Cross. The state government also provided a Rs 5-crore grant to all the municipalities for launching the cleanliness drive.

Mr Bhatt also requested the Union Health Ministry to sanction more financial assistance for an apex centre for microbiology at the B J Medical, Ahmedabad, Rs 100 lakh for upgrading the existing laboratory facilities in medical colleges of the state and Rs 10 crore for intensifying awareness programme, besides sanctioning of 500 fogging machines for vector control.

UNI/SKS VD PM1907