At health festival, experts debate ways to battle fever

BENGALURU: With high level of pollution, the IT City, of late, has become an ‘allergy capital’. The polluted air is resulting in many people falling victims to frequent bouts of fever and other infections, experts pointed out on Thursday.
At the four-day Bengaluru Health Festival that kickstarted at Palace Grounds, a team of doctors discussed preventive methods and ways to battle fever.“Bengaluru, which has a vast population, is a highly allergic city. It is also a parthenium city,” said Dr K R Ravindra, associate professor, Bangalore Medical College.
On the high incidences of dengue in the past couple of years, he said there’s no medicine to kill the dengue virus completely. “Dengue death cases have come down. This year, there has been no deaths. If fever continues for more than two days, the person affected must visit a doctor. Self medication is dangerous,” he said.
Moderating the session, Dr M S Rajanna from Siddartha Medical College, Tumakuru, said open defecation in the state is still a menace.
The event with a focus on comprehensive well being, aims to connect the public with government-sponsored health facilities. The first day did not witness much footfall. Private hospitals and pharmaceutical companies among many sponsors have set up their stalls with exhibits.
Govt mulls universal health card
Health minister K R Ramesh Kumar, who inaugurated the event, said the government is contemplating introducing the universal health card. “BPL families with less than Rs 2.5 lakh annual income will benefited through free healthcare. Families with Rs 5 lakh annual income may have to pay 30 per cent of the healthcare expenses,” he said. The government is yet to come out with a comprehensive plan on the same, he added.
Inputs by Monal Porwal and Navya Singh