Unhygienic surroundings near hospitals turn docs into patients

Dr Arpana (name changed) is duty-bound to take care of dengue patients admitted at fever ward in the LNJP Hospital, the largest facility run by the Delhi government. 

Recently down with chikungunya, Dr  Arpana reported back to duty within nine days as she had to take care of the patients. “I had chikungunya and took paracetamol for a few days. But now I am fine and back to work. Most vector-borne ailments are not harmful. However, patients must see a doctor and take necessary precautions,” she said.

At a time, when cases of dengue and chikungunya are at peak, Dr Arpana is one among various doctors and nurses to be infected.  

According to sources, at leastr three doctors and nurses, suspected to be suffering either from 

chikungunya or dengue, visit the hospital’s fever clinic daily. 

With heavy mosquito breeding detected at the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), a resident doctor at LNJP Hospital’s fever clinic said, “A lot of medical students, junior doctors and nurses from the MAMC come to us complaining of high fever and body ache – symptoms of both dengue and chikungunya.”

Not only MAMC, but other top medical institutes such as AIIMS, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjung serve as  a perfect breeding ground to mosquitoes.

Already grappling with a challenge of treating a huge number of patients, around 37 medical professionals tested positive for chikungunya at the Safdarjung Hospital.

Dr AK Rai, Medical Superintendent of the Safdarjung hospital said, “With most patients relying on affordable public healthcar, the shortage of doctors due to illness adds to their woes.”

A senior doctor at the hospital said, “It’s very unhygienic outside the hospital complex. No Hardly any measures have been taken to check mosquito breeding, thus putting all of us at risk.”