Hyderabad witnessing rise in Vector-borne diseases
HYDERABAD: With the onset of the first phase of monsoon in the State, vector-borne diseases have witnessed an alarming hike this year as compared to 2018 and Hyderabad is reportedly the worst-affected district in Telangana.
The only fever hospital in TS to tackle such tropical and seasonal epidemics is thronged by patients with over 15,000 out-patients visiting for treatment during the first two weeks of August itself, creating a situation where patients had to wait for several hours to receive a consultation. However, giving some amount of composure to the denizens, GHMC has announced that as many as 600 medical camps will be organised by the authorities to tackle the situation.
According to reports from the Department of Public Health and Family Welfare, around 1,427 cases of dengue have been reported in the State from January 2019 to July 2019 alone, which is much higher than the number recorded last year — 642 cases.
covered in garbage | S Senbagapandiyan,
Express
Cases of chikungunya have also drastically increased in Telangana to 163 in 2019 from 50 cases in 2018.
Meanwhile, with 393 cases of dengue, 210 cases of malaria, 23 cases of chikungunya and 652 cases of influenza, the State capital topped the list of worst-affected districts.
While cases of malaria across TS have seen a relieving dip in number, from last year’s 881 to 678 cases this year, influenza cases have increased by 50 times — from 24 cases in 2018 to 1263 this year. Official records with Fever Hospital also reiterates these numbers as viral fever is the most common illness diagnosed. In July 2019 alone, over 400 patients were admitted to the hospital of viral fever, followed by 214 cases of ADD, 124 cases of typhoid, 20 cases of clinical malaria and 13 cases of dengue.
Meanwhile, in a review meeting organised on Tuesday, after taking the reports into consideration, GHMC Commissioner M Dana Kishore said that 600 special medical camps would be set up in Greater Hyderabad jurisdiction from August 16 to 26, in a bid to prevent the spreading of infectious diseases. He held a joint meeting with the medical officials of Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal districts to discuss on the preventive measures to be adopted.
‘Pvt, corporate hospitals are overcharging’
In a review meeting organised by the GHMC, it was observed that the patients have also raised complaints about private and corporate hospitals overcharging them for treatments even when they only suffer from common fever but claiming it to be vector-borne diseases. Medical officials of Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal districts have set up special teams to conduct inspections in corporate hospitals
15K patients in two weeks
The only fever hospital in the State was thronged by patients with over 15,000 out-patients visiting the hospital for treatment during the first two weeks of August, leading to a situation where the patients had to wait for several hours to receive a consultation.