AGARTALA, August 13 (TIWN): A standard precautionary guideline was issued from the Department of Health and Family Welfare to all eight districts of the state. The guidelines mandated surveillance, emergency diagnosis and identification of ebola till the grass root level, Director of Family Welfare Dr. Pranab Chatterjee said today. The first notification on the issue was made on June 05 after the initial outbreak of ebola was reported from West Africa, the official said adding that the issue was further reminded by a second notification issued on August 12.

The latest guideline contained detailed description of symptoms and preliminary treatment of ebola, Dr. Chatterjee said. The notification reportedly asked CMOs of all eight districts to initiate sensitization of Medical Officers of Primary Health Centers (PHC), Community Health Centers (CHC) and health sub-centers. Sensitization campaigns would be held with ASHA workers, Multi Purpose Workers (MPW).

The concerned officials would then maintain surveillance to understand the present condition of the disease like all districts of the country, the official said. Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Family Welfare today procured three more dengue Rapid Diagnosis Testing (RDT) kits as a part of its move to tackle vector borne diseases.

The state was given two dengue testing kits after the first dengue case was identified at GB Hospital on August 06. Health and Family Welfare Department asked for more supplies to tackle possibilities of further outbreak from the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme authorities without much help, Director of Family Welfare Dr. Pranab Chatterjee said. He added that the state government procured three additional kits today with its own initiative. Each of these kits is able to test 96 patients, the official informed.

Tripura was earlier given three RDT kits for diagnosing Japanese Encephalitis suspects, an official of the Department said. He said that initial symptoms of malaria, dengue and Japanese Encephalitis vastly match due to which separate tests are mandatory. An official communiqué from the Department later said that 2,084 patients called in sick at different hospitals and healthcare institutions. 308 of them were diagnosed as malaria patients. The total figures of malaria infected patients today crossed 47 thousand 732 since the initial outbreak in May this year.