Delhi health minister holds emergency meet over dengue

Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain on Sunday held an emergency meeting to review the status of dengue cases in the capital. Later, during a surprise visit to a hospital, some patients' relatives heckled the minister.

"Discussion on the steps to be taken to prevent spread of dengue in Delhi was held in the meeting. All hospitals have been directed not to deny admission to any patient," Jain told media persons after the meeting on dengue cases in the capital city which was attended by all district magistrates (DMs) and divisional commissioners (DCs).

"They have been asked to make appropriate arrangements to tackle cases of dengue. Directions for monitoring of dengue cases were also issued in the meeting," he said.

The dengue outbreak has caused shortage of beds for these patients across hospitals.

On Saturday, the central government ordered a probe while the Delhi government had issued notice to five private hospitals in the capital after a seven-year-old boy Avinash died of dengue. He was allegedly denied admission despite being in critical condition. After his death, the child's traumatised parents committed suicide.

The Delhi government has asked the city's five hospitals to explain why their registration should not be cancelled for allegedly denying admission to the boy.

After the meeting, the health minister conducted a surprise inspection at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital to take stock of the dengue cases and availability of beds there.

Sources said that, during the inspection, Jain was heckled by relatives of the patients at the hospital.

After inspection of the hospital Jain said: "There are two patients on a bed, we don't deny this. They (hospital staff) are not refusing admission."