State health minister TS Singhdeo on Wednesday clarified that the state          government was not going to bow down to the pressure    tactics being applied by      doctors, opposing double OPD in Chhattisgarh.

He was addressing a press conference at his official      residence.

Singhdeo also shared a comprehensive result of intensive anti-malaria drive underway in Bastar region- where highest numbers of death due to malaria are reported every year.

“In past four days 12,108 people were found malaria positive during special    malaria screening drive carried out in Bastar region,” the health minister told reporters.

He explained that earlier it was estimated that between 40,000 to 45,000 people are affected by Malaria annually in Bastar region.

According to Singhdeo all blocks of Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur and Dantewada were covered in the drive. Also, those blocks in Bastar who had API (annual parasitic index) above 10 were also  covered in the programme.

“I believe people in Bastar will get a big relief from this programme,” he hoped.

According to the minister, 1720 groups of Mitanin and health workers have been deployed that are going        visiting Bastar hinterlands to check malaria.

Our target is to reach 13.56 lakh people, he         mentioned.

To a query about the protest of Chhattisgarh          in-service Doctors Association (CIDA) against double OPD, he said I feel they should not go on strike.

“This decision has been taken in public interest. We are not asking doctors to work more than seven hours,” he added.

“Actually, double OPD is six hours duty only. Also, if anyone is attending OPD in morning and is in operation theater in the evening, then it is not necessary that they need to attend OPD in the evening hours,” the minister clarified.