VISAKHAPATNAM: Despite efforts, dengue cases have increased in the district. As per the official statistics, since January 2018, 777 dengue cases were identified in 2,119 samples registered and examined. Since May, there has been a steep increase in dengue cases and it reached the peak this month. The number of dengue-positive cases reported have been 410, in just 10 days of this month.
To check the measures put in place to control dengue, the State Medical department director Aruna Kumari and additional director Neerada have visited the district and the latter is coming again on Wednesday to study the situation.
Recently two medicos of a private medical college near Rushikonda were tested dengue-positive and both were undergoing treatment at the same hospital. In another incident, L Chaitanya (22), a BTech student from Akkireddypalem, died while undergoing treatment for dengue in a private hospital, here on Saturday night.
Pvt hospitals fleecing money?
Many private hospitals are allegedly continuing with their unethical practices of squeezing money out from the patients. Some hospitals and doctors are reportedly taking advantage of the situation and are charging abnormally in the name of treating dengue fever. If the patient’s platelet count falls below 7,000 count, irrespective of other symptoms or further diagnosis, they are shifting the patients to ICU wards.
As per experts, even if it was dengue, a patient would need only five-six days of treatment, with suitable medicines and regular monitoring. But most of the private hospitals are allegedly scaring the patients and their family members without doing proper diagnosis and are admitting the patients in the ICUs to collect more fees.