Indian hospitals warned against turning away dengue patients

The authorities ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death after media reported that the boy was refused admission at five private hospitals. The patient’s parents took away the child without informing the Safdarjung hospital authorities. After all this running around, he died.

Dengue cases usually peak during and just after the rainy season, which normally lasts from June to September.

His parents, Laxmichandra and Babita Rout, jumped off the terrace of their building the same night.

Delhi Govt Hospitals to continue conducting free tests for Dengue. But the hospitals – as they have been known to do in the past – have once again played rogue. He was admitted till Saturday night. “We are helpless”, said one. A decision will be taken within the next two or three days.

Kejriwal’s comment came in the backdrop of another boy succumbing to dengue and his family alleging negligence by hospital. Here he tested positive for dengue. The central government hospitals are fully geared up to infuse platelets whenever there is a need.

Here is an yearly data (from 2009) of number of dengue cases and deaths registered across the states and Union Territories.

The surge in dengue cases in the national capital have led to a serious space crunch in government hospitals with a facility in east Delhi operating a fever clinic from the driver’s room while another prominent hospital has emptied its ortho and eye wards to accommodate patients.

Dengue has been spreading alarmingly in the Capital and adjoining cities such as Gurgaon, Faridabad and Sonepat.

After the suicide of the couple, a boy also died of dengue. The dozens of other state and municipal level hospitals in the city also suffer from overcrowding.

The situation is no different at Guru Tegh Bahadur, Ambedkar and other government hospitals where the administration said extra arrangements have failed to deal with the situation. All this has been possible due to better awareness and timely medicare.

One of the major reasons for the spread of dengue is the prevailing humid weather conditions. Also present during the meeting were senior officers from the Health Ministry.

All deputy commissioners have been asked to run sanitation campaign in their respective districts to prevent the growth of larvae.

The government has been continuously urging people to keep their surroundings clean. In addition, specific instructions have been conveyed to the Mississippi of the hospitals to accord priority to dengue cases and not to refuse any patient treatment.

Kejriwal said this helpline will provide all relevant information relating to treatment of dengue.