‘Dengue cases higher than official number’
10 Oct 2012 1:37 AM GMT
Congress has accused the local civic bodies of under-reporting dengue and malaria cases, even as casualties continue to be on a rise.
Congress councillors claimed that the actual number of cases and deaths due to dengue was much higher than what was being reported by the nodal centre of the three corporations.
The councillors, however, expressed serious concern about the increasing number of dengue and malaria cases and shortage of staff and fogging instruments to control the mosquito breeding, and also inadequate facilities in hospitals.
‘The officers of Health department and incharge of the nodal centre for malaria and dengue are under-reporting the number of patients and deaths. The number they are reporting is just the tip of the iceberg,’ said Farhad Suri, Leader of Opposition in South Delhi Municipal Corporation [SDMC], raising the matter in the meeting of Standing Committe on Tuesday.
Suri expressed serious concern over ‘three-fold’ increase of the number of dengue cases in Delhi within a week. ‘Around 16 cases have been reported from Najafgarh Zone. It shows spread of the disease in villages and JJ clusters and demands attention,’ added Suri.
In SDMC area, malaria clinics have reported 69 cases and 271 have been reported by hospitals. ‘This year’s figures of malaria are more than the number reported last year by all three corporations,’ added Suri.
Another Congress councillor, Timsy Kasana, said at least two deaths due to dengue have took place in Molarband village of her constituency. ‘Shyma, 45, a resident of house number 50 and a youth, Ramesh, of house number 146, died due to dengue but the corporation reported only one death,’ said Kasana.
Debating the matter in the meeting of House of North Delhi Municipal Corporation [NDMC] Mukesh Goel, Leader of Opposition, raised the matter of lack of staff, equipment, chemicals and facilities in the hospitals.
‘All the posts of endomologists and assistant medical officers are vacant in NDMC. The condition of field staff is also very poor, as 714 of the 1,134 posts are vacant,’ said Goel.
He also expressed his concern on under-reporting of the dengue and malaria cases. The officials, however, claimed that appropriate measures are being taken to contain the disease and it is less than the last year.
Congress councillors claimed that the actual number of cases and deaths due to dengue was much higher than what was being reported by the nodal centre of the three corporations.
The councillors, however, expressed serious concern about the increasing number of dengue and malaria cases and shortage of staff and fogging instruments to control the mosquito breeding, and also inadequate facilities in hospitals.
‘The officers of Health department and incharge of the nodal centre for malaria and dengue are under-reporting the number of patients and deaths. The number they are reporting is just the tip of the iceberg,’ said Farhad Suri, Leader of Opposition in South Delhi Municipal Corporation [SDMC], raising the matter in the meeting of Standing Committe on Tuesday.
Suri expressed serious concern over ‘three-fold’ increase of the number of dengue cases in Delhi within a week. ‘Around 16 cases have been reported from Najafgarh Zone. It shows spread of the disease in villages and JJ clusters and demands attention,’ added Suri.
In SDMC area, malaria clinics have reported 69 cases and 271 have been reported by hospitals. ‘This year’s figures of malaria are more than the number reported last year by all three corporations,’ added Suri.
Another Congress councillor, Timsy Kasana, said at least two deaths due to dengue have took place in Molarband village of her constituency. ‘Shyma, 45, a resident of house number 50 and a youth, Ramesh, of house number 146, died due to dengue but the corporation reported only one death,’ said Kasana.
Debating the matter in the meeting of House of North Delhi Municipal Corporation [NDMC] Mukesh Goel, Leader of Opposition, raised the matter of lack of staff, equipment, chemicals and facilities in the hospitals.
‘All the posts of endomologists and assistant medical officers are vacant in NDMC. The condition of field staff is also very poor, as 714 of the 1,134 posts are vacant,’ said Goel.
He also expressed his concern on under-reporting of the dengue and malaria cases. The officials, however, claimed that appropriate measures are being taken to contain the disease and it is less than the last year.
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