JAIPUR: Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Digambar Singh has requested the Centre to establish a regional laboratory for North India to test the blood samples for dengue and chikungunya at Sawai Man Singh Medical College here in Jaipur. These blood samples are presently sent for tests to Pune and elsewhere.

Addressing a meeting of Health Ministers of States convened by Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss in Delhi on Wednesday, Dr. Singh said the new laboratory and availability of platelet equipment in all 32 districts of Rajasthan would help control diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya affecting large sections of population.

Dr. Singh said though there were permanent blood banks in all the districts of Rajasthan, the non-availability of platelet equipment was causing inconvenience to patients.

The Minister said the humidity in atmosphere caused by heavy rains and floods in several districts had led to spread of diseases, but the situation was fully under control. He said 498 medical mobile teams and 115 Ayurvedic treatment teams were presently functioning across the State.

Dr. Singh said malaria had claimed 25 lives in the State, while 10 persons suffering from dengue fever had died recently. Nearly 650 dengue patients had been identified in the State this year, he said, and added that arrangements for free tests and treatment for the disease had been made.

Dr. Singh regretted that the Centre had reduced the quantity of DDT powder supplied to the State on the basis of recommendations of a technical consultative committee and said it had affected the drive to control the breeding of mosquitoes. He said the State urgently needed 1,500 metric tonnes of DDT in view of the outbreak of diseases.

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