Now, retired civic staff to help check dengue, chikungunya
NEWDELHI: As Delhi witnesses an upward spiral in the number of cases related to mosquito -borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has decided to fill all vacant positions in the public health department by recruiting retired municipal corporation employees.
Two weeks ago, the civic body issued a public notice inviting retired municipal corporation employees for the post of assistant malaria inspector (AMI), malaria inspector (MI), senior malaria inspector (SMI) and antimalaria officers on a contractual basis for a period of six months. Officials said at least 50-70 per cent of the positions are lying vacant in all three corporations.
According to data released by the SDMC on Monday, 24 new cases of malaria have been reported in Delhi-ncr. The new cases have stretched the total number of confirmed malaria cases to 148 this season. Of these, 70 cases were from the neighbouring states. Meanwhile, the total number of people affected by chikungunya is 57, with 18 fresh cases reported last week. At least 90 people have been affected by dengue this season.
Experts, however, termed this move ‘too little, too late’, since confirmed cases of malaria have already started increasing.
Dr VK Monga, former chairperson of the unified MCD’S health panel, said, “Ideally, the corporations should plan these well in advance. But the situations are worse in the North and East corporations since they are unable to engage enough contractual staff owing to lack of funds.”
Maintaining that cases of vector-borne diseases will be more now given it is monsoons, Monga said, “In the given circumstance, more workforce will be required to check the spread of diseases.”
SDMC medical health official Dr BK Hazarika, however, said the civic body is deploying contractual staffers after an interval in order to prevent mosquito breeding. “The three civic agencies have been demanding 302 AMIS for the last four years. However, only 40 positions were filled. To fill the gap, we resorted to either extending the contracts of the existing contractual staffers or hiring new people,” he said.
In the South corporation, there are 31 on-roll inspectors instead of 106. In the North corporation, 122 of the 129 sanctioned posts for malaria inspectors are vacant.
In the East civic body, there are 24 officers as against the 65 required ones.
There is shortage of staff in all the other categories as well.