Centre concerned at malaria, dengue outbreak; to help states

Expressing concern over the outbreak of malaria and dengue nation-wide, Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today assured full support to the state governments in combating these diseases.

"We are worried at the national level on (the outbreak of) malaria and dengue across the country. Perennial breeding place (for mosquitoes) during the rainy season are available in greater numbers in the metro cities," Azad told newspersons after a meeting with Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee and health officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

Assuring full support to the state governments and civic bodies in minimising the effects of malaria and dengue, Azad said his ministry was already issuing kits to the civic bodies for managing the diseases. "We can also give them any other help that they may require against these diseases."

The minister, who also attended the 12th governing body meeting of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) said the Centre would help the institute buy a Rs11.5 crore state-of-art radiotherapy machine.

"The old machine is almost non-functional. The new machine will be very helpful to patients who, otherwise, will have to travel to Mumbai or Delhi," he said.

Noting that 10 acre at Rajarhat had been bought for the CNCI second campus, he said funds for it had been shared by the Centre and the state government on a 75:25 basis. The building for the campus would also be constructed with a similar funding structure.