Dengue fever crisis was the subject of discussion in the Indian dailies even as Delhi is facing worst Dengue fever crisis. The dailies the annual affair has brought back the focus on public health issue which is rarely discussed in the government circles and hence steps taken are temporary in nature. The report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka was another subject of discussion in the dailies. The dailies described the issue as serious and said that it would bring out truth on Sri Lanka. The report which came out on Wednesday ndicated that war crimes and crimes against humanity were most likely committed by both sides to the conflict. The report recommended the establishment of a hybrid special court, integrating international judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators, as an essential step towards justice.

An editorial in THE TRIBUNE titled, ‘SCRATCH AND FORGET’, says Dengue creeps up on us silently and gradually as the season progresses. There is an uproar once a couple of thousand people get inflicted with it in a state, and a few die. Children’s death, of course, evokes a louder outcry. The cycle repeats itself year after year, and yet we hear talk of the mosquito-borne viral disease only when the epidemic hits us with its full fury. The daily says that this is a disease that can only be prevented and not treated. Education of the general public on preventive measures is the other meaningful defence. It stands to reason thus that the real action has to happen ahead of the mosquito breeding season. Commenting on the manner the authorities react to the outbreak of this disease, it says that emergency meetings in the top echelons happen only when there is a hue and cry in the media. The priority then becomes projecting how the health authorities are responding appropriately. The numbers have been rising steadily over the past two decades. The state health departments, including in Punjab and Haryana, are woefully short of staff, equipment and funds. The sanction of money comes more as a response to a crisis than as part of a preventive plan to address an expected challenge. The daily states that public health in India is considered more a sanitation issue than a complex discipline. WHO recommends a sophisticated prevention strategy, which includes a close surveillance of the spread of the disease and mosquito growth specific to different areas. Correct disease diagnosis through tests is also important, whereas a lot of the cases are being decided on clinical observation because we lack sufficient labs and equipment. Vulnerable populations have to be identified and given protection. Community and relevant professional groups have to be engaged in intensive media and personal-contact campaigns, the daily laments.

An editorial in NEW INDIAN EXPRESS titled,’MOMENT OF TRUTH FOR SRI LANKA’, talks about the crucial UN Human Rights Council session. The daily says that the outcome could be an epoch-making one vis-a-vis the long-standing Sri Lankan Tamil question. If Colombo grasps the nettle, a permanent solution will be on hand. If not, a return to conflict may be unavoidable. While the findings of the UN Human Rights High Commissioner on allegations of war crimes are “of the most serious nature,” Colombo’s stance, as enunciated by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, kindles hopes of seeing a more tolerant and accommodative Lanka. According to the daily, Colombo has for the first time wholeheartedly accepted international assistance to run domestic mechanisms. At first glance, Lanka seems to be heading for peace and harmony, but in reality, the road ahead is rough. Hardliners among the majority Sinhalese, who enjoy disproportionate influence, see foreign assistance as a “laceration” of Lanka’s sovereignty.The Tamils too are not sanguine about the prospects. Post-Rajapaksa, Lanka is moving towards democracy, but the Tamils fear they may not get to enjoy the ethnic rights they have been fighting for, the daily states.