Azad terms CWG project sites as breeding ground for mosquitoes in Delhi

Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said here on Sunday that the dug up roads and unfinished work at the Commonwealth Games project sites were the breeding ground for mosquitoes and leading to the outbreak of the disease in the capital.

Speaking to the media persons on the sidelines of a function on diabetes
here today, Azad said that the combination of heavy rains that lashed the city this year and the debris created due to the ongoing construction for the upcoming Games was proving to be an ideal one to give rise to water-borne diseases.

"Delhi has been dug up at various places because of the Games (Commonwealth Games). After so many years this time it has rained heavily in the months of July and August because of which there is stagnated water at various places and therefore breeding condition for mosquitoes is easily available. More breeding grounds have given rise to more mosquitoes which will eventually target more people, and that is why people ought to be more careful now," said Azad.

Azad, however, said that managing the mega event's site alone will not solve the issue and measures need to be employed to tackle the spread of the diseases such as Malaria and Dengue.

"To stop the breeding of mosquitoes, whether it is the dengue or malaria ones, just managing the venues of Commonwealth Games will not solve the purpose. We need to manage the entire Delhi and its surrounding regions to counter this outbreak," he added.

With only 42 days left for the Commonwealth Games 2010, many of the venues are yet to get finishing touches and the beautification of the Delhi city is also incomplete.

The dengue menace continues as the capital reported 548 cases of dengue in 2007, 1,312 cases in 2008 and 1,153 cases in 2009.

Dengue is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses. It occurs in tropical and sub-tropical regions.

Meanwhile, clarifying on the news of four children dying during an immunisation drive in Lucknow city on Saturday (August 22), Azad said that a team from the Central Health Ministry has been sent to the place to probe the matter.

"State teams had reached the spot yesterday only but our team from Health Ministry, comprising of Deputy Commissioner, the Commissioner overseeing the immunisation and a team of doctors, reached Lucknow today by the first flight this morning. They will reach Mohanlalganj and I hope I will get a report from there by the evening and then we will take action," said Azad.

The four children died after being administered measles vaccines, suspected of being spurious, at a health centre during an immunisation drive conducted by the state administration.