Rise in dengue cases prompt MCD to step up action

With dengue cases assuming alarming proportions, the civic bodies in Delhi have claimed to have found 1,75,051 houses positive for mosquito breeding while 15,724 prosecutions have been launched this year, as part of their drives against the vector-borne disease.
According to a municipal report released today, the total number of cases this year till September 12 has been pegged at 1,872, with 1,041 patients tested positive in this month itself.
The rising number of cases have put the three municipal corporations on their toes.
North Delhi Mayor Ravinder Gupta today claimed that the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) was taking all possible measures to deal with the increasing number of dengue cases in its jurisdiction.

He said that to further strengthen the services, staff at the fever clinic have been increased so that more number of dengue patients can be treated efficiently, and more technical staff have been deployed in pathology laboratories, among other measures.
"No dengue patient has been denied admission in its hospitals and additional facilities have been created to attend them swiftly," he told reporters here.

"Last night, 768 patients reported in the casualty department for suspected dengue fever in Hindu Rao hospital alone, where so far 1,322 cases have been admitted," he said.
The Mayor said that that additional 110 new beds will be made available at the Hindu Rao Hospital.

The dengue scare has called in question the role of civic bodies in containing the deadly disease, as official death toll from it today mounted to five, while three cases remain in suspected dengue death category.
As per the report tabulated by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), during the same period, 1,75,051 houses have been found positive for mosquito breeding while 15,724 prosecutions have been launched this year.
According to Gupta, NDMC has about 1500 dengue-breeding checkers, 1000-strong staff for carrying out fumigation and 300 employees to monitor the drive.
Gupta also took the occasion to hit out at the AAP government, alleging that "one of the reasons for high number of dengue cases is that the Chief Minister and the Delhi government is not cooperating in dealing with the issue."

The Mayor demanded resignation of the chief minister asking him to owe responsibility for such a high number of dengue cases and the deaths those have occurred so far.
He said that such a situation further calls for timely and adequate release of funds for medical sector by the Delhi Government.
Gupta claimed that "over the last three years", the funds under the health sector have been "slashed" by the Delhi government.
"For the year 2013-14, out of total Rs 146 crore, only Rs 118.50 crore were released. For the year 2014-15, out of Rs 157 crore, only Rs 124 crore were released. For this financial year, out of Rs 117 crore, only Rs 29 crore have been released so far," he claimed.