No need to press panic button yet, says Jain

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung who reached Delhi from his foreign trip, immediately called a meeting of all the stakeholders – Delhi Health Minister, Delhi Health Secretary, Commissioners of MCDs, and medical superintendents of the of major hospitals and other senior officers of health department to take stock of the situation.

“Historically in emergency, people have come together and fought together. This is what is required now,” said Najeeb Jung in the meeting with an appeal to all to rise above political considerations and fight the menace together. He also directed the MCDs and Delhi government to create awareness among public to prevent mosquito breeding and about the disease as well. LG also urged general public to ensure that no water stagnates and water tanks and other utensils used for water storage are kept covered. LG also directed the superintendents of all the hospitals to ensure that hospitals, clinics and laboratories do not turn away any critical case of chikungunya or dengue.

At the meeting Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that private hospitals must not use this opportunity to exploit patients and urged people not to panic. He also informed that the government has cancelled leave of all hospital staff and has issued directions to hospitals to employ temporary staff for the next two months. “The Rogi Kalyan Samiti too is working round the clock and making ORS available in hospitals,” said Jain.

He further informed that so far the health department has recorded 1158 dengue cases as against 7000 cases reported last year and 1057 cases of Chikungunya as against 64 cases last year. Delhi Health Secretary Chandrakar Bharti cut short his leave and took charge of the situation. The officers of MCDs and NDMC were also directed to increase fogging wherever required particularly from 6 to 9 am in the morning and 5 to 7 pm in the evening.

Earlier in the day the health minister Jain also summoned meeting of all the MCDs, health department officials and medical superintendents to take stock of the situation. Jain emphasised that there was no need for people to panic as government has all the required medicines to handle the crisis. 

“There must be an inquiry into the recent deaths due to chikungunya as scientifically there was no death due to chikungunya nationwide. An inquiry has been set up for the cause of the death and highlighted that chikungunya cannot be the sole reason for death and there must be other complications also. The Delhi Government is committed to the protocol set by the central government on prevention of vector borne ailments,” added Jain. He further added that around 200 deaths were reported daily from the Delhi hospitals, therefore, why so much of hype was being created at this time around.

Meanwhile, six more deaths were reported due to chikungunya on Wednesday, five from Apollo hospital and another at AIIMS. The fatalities due to chikungunya has now reached 11 in the capital. As per reports there have been 5 chikungunya deaths in Apollo hospital, 4 in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital one in Bara Hindu Rao Hospital and one in AIIMS. In its press statement the authorities at Apollo mentioned that there have been five deaths in the past three weeks of patients with chikungunya, most of whom were elderly and had complications like kidney disease, coronary artery disease which affects the course of  recovery.

Taking cognisance of rise in chikungunya fatalities, the Centre has sought a detailed report from Delhi government. During a high-level meeting called to take stock of the viral disease, Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Wednesday assured the Delhi Health Minister that the Centre was ready to provide all necessary assistance.