Dengue Alarm: Delhi crosses 1800 cases, biggest outbreak in last 5 years

The state government in the Indian capital, Delhi, has threatened to penalise hospitals after reports that they turned away dying children suffering from dengue fever. Last April, the AAP government promised to implement the Clinical Establishment Act, which enables the government to regulate private hospitals and clinics and impose stiff penalties on them for violating the guidelines. “Profit should not supersede humanity”, he said, in the backdrop of hospitals not admitting dengue patients who cannot afford costly treatment.

Acting tough after the death of a six-year-old boy in Delhi due to alleged negligence by many hospitals, the Delhi government today summoned administrators of private hospitals besides Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warning of strict action against culprits and bringing in a law in the Assembly to penalise such hospitals. He went to Dr Hedgewar Aarogya Sansthan in Karkardooma and Guru Teg Bahadur hospital among others, and gave a statement to the media saying, “We have become blind in the race to make more and more profit”.

Meanwhile in Ludhiana, a total of 33 cases of dengue were reported on Tuesday, taking the toll to 141.

The Government is also planning a corrective action and may take over the private hospitals during an emergency, but only for a temporary period.

“Dengue wards have been established in each District, Sub-Divisional, ESI hospitals”.

With dengue expanding its grip on Delhi-NCR, the Haryana government’s health department has directed all hospitals and medical colleges in the state to be on high alert.

So far 11 people have died of dengue and over 1,900 have been affected by it. There has been widespread outrage in the city after Avinash Rout, a 7-year-old, and 6-year-old Aman Sharma died of dengue last week after allegedly being denied treatment by private hospitals. “We have also assured that whatever support they need will be given”, Union health minister J.P. Nadda said after chairing a meeting with officials of R.M.L., Sardarjung and Lady Hardinge Hospitals.

No hospital can refuse a person in a serious condition. “Even the figures on dengue afflicted people are fudged”, Congress leader Pratyush Kanth said.

The couple left a one page suicide note saying his departure had prompted them to stop their lives. Over 220 positive cases of dengue and 600 suspected cases have been registered in Gurgaon so far, while Faridabad has also touched the three-figure mark.