HYDERABAD: A series of fake messages have been doing the rounds on WhatsApp and other social networking sites about dengue fever medication available at Osmania General Hospital, NIMS and Gandhi Hospital.
The detailed message is complete with the address of the hospital and multiple landline phone numbers. The message also appeals to the desperation of poor patients struggling with the apathy and expensive bills of private hospitals. Another message that has been doing the rounds of social media is the papaya leaf capsule. Experts have denounced this ‘natural’ method claiming that there is no proven research to show the relationship between papaya and dengue.
The superintendents from the mentioned hospitals have rubbished the rumours and reiterated that there is no targeted cure for dengue other than a symptomatic treatment. Superintendent of Osmania General Hospital, Dr B Nagendar, said, “No such medicine is available inside the hospital premises. First of all, treatment is free in government hospitals. Secondly, we have to tackle such fake messages every year during this season. Most of the times, these messages are spread by pharmacies outside the hospitals.” He added, “The only way to treat dengue is to give medication for its symptoms. Dengue does not have a specific drug-based treatment.”