Dengue to raise its ugly head again

by Carol Aloysius

Although the number of dengue patients at the Colombo National Hospital, had declined health officials expect a major outbreak in the next two months.

"May and June are critical months due to the intermittent showers islandwide. This is very dangerous as it creates the ideal environment for mosquito breeding sites to proliferate", Deputy Director, National Hospital Sri Lanka (NHSL) told the Sunday Observer.

As a preventive measure the hospital launched a program with the participation of all hospital staff.

Clear instructions were given to them as to what they should do at a meeting in the hospital on Wednesday at which all heads of the hospital units were present. They were warned to be extra vigilant, especially in the next two months and guard against any fresh outbreak of dengue or a rise in the number of patients being admitted to hospital. Heads of units including PHIs matrons, Hospital Secretary, Infection Control nurses and cleaning supervisors, were assigned a specific task, such as fogging operations, inspecting the hospital premises and keeping the premises free of small containers.

The hospital was also monitoring waste removal to cheek the spread of infection. " Hospital waste consists of two types general (used lunch sheets, paper cups and left over food) which was handled in the wards, and clinical waste such as used bandages, gauze and cotton soaked in human blood and body parts removed after surgery, needles, syringes and gloves used by theatre staff.