Dengue Cases In Bengaluru: Monitoring App To Be Launched On Sept 8

In response to the rising number of dengue cases in Bengaluru, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao convened a meeting on Thursday with officials from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) health department to assess the situation. During the meeting, the minister announced that the government would release dengue monitoring applications on September 8. According to reports, more than 3,000 dengue cases have been reported.

Over the past two months, the city has experienced a surge in dengue cases. This year, the Bengaluru East division reported the highest number of cases, with 1,218, followed by the south division with 1,003 cases. The Mahadevapura zone recorded 875 cases, while the east zone had 635 dengue patients.

Following the meeting, the Health Minister emphasized that additional precautions would be implemented to prevent dengue cases in the city.

"We have observed an uptick in dengue cases. We have discussed strategies to prevent the disease. The stagnant rainwater is leading to an increase in Aedes mosquitoes. In July, there were 1,649 cases, in August, there were 1,589, and in September, 416 cases have been reported. There are six labs in the BBMP, and I have instructed them to scale up testing," the minister stated.

Acknowledging the shortage of medical staff within the BBMP, the minister outlined steps to address the issue.

"We are aware of the shortage of ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) staff. We have decided to increase their salaries by Rs 6,000. Previously, they received Rs 12,000, and now they will receive Rs 18,000. There is a shortage of 179 ANM workers," Rao disclosed.

Additionally, the minister highlighted the development of a dengue monitoring application designed to track the activities of health workers.

"This app will provide insight into whether the workers are effectively carrying out spray operations in specific areas and whether surveys have been conducted adequately. It has been custom-built for Bengaluru to enhance transparency and will be officially launched on September 8," the minister said.