Dengue and other viral fevers have laid siege to the capital of Telangana since the last few weeks as deaths continue to be reported from in and around greater Hyderabad region.
According to government figures, around 10,000 cases of dengue have been reported since June 1 in Telangana this year.
Parents and activists slammed the state government for failing to prevent the breakout or address it. Hospitals across the state, especially in Hyderabad, are overcrowded with patients and their family members.
The Indian Medical Association has said there is a dengue outbreak in the state. “Since the last four weeks, we have seen many cases of dengue,” said Pratap Reddy, president of Hyderabad chapter of IMA. “We see seasonal fevers and dengue every year. However, this time the number of dengue cases has almost doubled compared to previous years.”
The IMA has asked its members to work extra time and attend to patients. “The intensity of dengue this time is very high,” Reddy added.
According to him, the state government should have gone for extensive fumigation to prevent a dengue outbreak. He also urged the residents to take it upon themselves the task of keeping their surroundings clean to prevent further spread of diseases.
Meanwhile, the government machinery is coming under fire for failing to react on time and also for allegedly suppressing the actual figures. Though parents of children who died in the last few days blamed dengue for the tragedy, state Health Minister Etela Rajender claimed that there has been no confirmed dengue deaths in the state.
Civil society activists have demanded that the state government declare a medical emergency.
Achyut Rao of Child Rights Association has approached the state human right commission.
“Apart from declaring medical emergency, we want the state government to operate mobile clinics and also ensure that there are more number of doctors in government hospitals,” said Rao. “Since these viral fevers are contagious, the government should declare holidays for schools till the situation comes under control. The administration should also distribute free medicines for poor patients.”
According to Rao, the state government failed to provide clean drinking water which added to the public health crisis as the number of cases related to water-borne diseases also went up.
A public interest litigation has already been filed in the High Court on this issue. A paediatrician has approached the court, raising concerns over the increase in dengue cases among children. The court asked Telangana government to file a reply by September 7.
In the last two months, at least 1,000 cases of dengue have come to light in just three government hospitals in the city. According to activists, the actual numbers related to dengue cases are very high since most of the private and small hospitals do not share data with the state government on regular basis.
After holding emergency meetings, the state government has decided to initiate some steps to tackle the issue.
Srinivas Rao, director of public health, Telangana, said, “Outpatient clinics will be open even in the evenings and the number of counters will be increased in government hospitals, especially in greater Hyderabad region. They will continue to function even on holidays. We have strengthened our lab system and have sought data on a daily basis. There is no need for a medical emergency as the situation is not very serious.”