Prepared for dengue, say govt, civic bodies

The Delhi government and the three civic bodies have claimed that they are well prepared to deal with increase in the number of the mosquitoborne illnesses this year.

With 106 cases being recorded in a single week, the number of dengue cases has almost doubled in the week ending on September 15, the weekly report on vector-borne diseases by the municipal corporations of Delhi has revealed.

The government had, earlier, asked all hospitals run by it to earmark beds for patients suffering from dengue, chikungunya and malaria – most cases of which are recorded following the monsoon showers.

“Nearly 1,000 beds are earmarked for fever cases in Delhi government hospitals and will be made available for patients as and when the numbers go up. The hospitals and the clinics are also well stocked with diagnostic tests equipment and medicines,” an official from the Delhi government’s health department said on condition of anonymity.

The government had also issued a circular, wherein they relaxed norms for private hospitals to increase the bed strength for treating dengue patients between August and November.

The circular allows private hospitals and nursing homes to increase their bed strength by 10 - 20%. “It has been observed that increased number of cases of dengue, chikungunya and malaria are being reported. It is likely that the number of cases may increase during the monsoon season. Therefore, timely action needs to be taken,” the circular reads.

According to Delhi Nursing Homes Registration Rules, 2011, all hospitals and nursing homes in Delhi have to follow a strict floor to bed ratio; hospitals have to provide 80 square feet space for one bed and 60 square feet for every additional bed in a ward, not including space for toilets. These norms are relaxed during the monsoons every year since 2015, when Delhi witnessed its biggest ever dengue outbreak, which affected nearly 16 thousand people and claimed 60 lives.

The increased number of beds can be used only to accommodate fever patients who are likely to have the mosquitoborne disease, the circular states, adding that the patients must be charged only 50% of the lowest tariff category of the hospital.

This year, the government has started an awareness drive while the MCDs are ensuring breeding and spraying of insecticides across the city.

NEW DELHI: