Though seasonal diseases like malaria, typhoid and dengue are common during the rainy season, there is no accurate information on the number of patients suffering from dengue. The government officials claim that the number of positive dengue cases are very less, but the private hospitals are giving a contradictory version, leading to confusion among people. According to the sources, many corporate hospitals in Vijayawada city and hospitals in Krishna district are filled with patients suffering from diseases including dengue, malaria, typhoid and jaundice.
A 17-year-old youth in Patatmata area in the city died of dengue this season, the sources said. However, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation’s chief medical officer MS Raju said that there has been no death due to dengue fever.
But Dr G Samaram, former IMA president, alleged that the government has failed in controlling the spread of diseases. “As there is no proper medical assistance at the government hospitals, people are forced to approach private doctors,” he said.
According to district medical and health officer (DM&HO) J Sarasajakshi, there have been around 72,000 fever cases registered both at corporate and government hospitals in Krishna district this year so far. Out of them, 100 are dengue, 1,000 malaria cases and the remaining typhoid, jaundice and other viral fevers.
“Compared to other districts, viral fevers particularly dengue and malaria are very much in control in the district. As Vijayawada has so many hospitals, patients from neighbouring districts are getting admitted here. However, all fevers are not dengue cases,” she added.
The DM&HO said they conduct rapid test and the Elisa test to confirm the dengue fever and the patients are taken under observation. She alleged that some private hospitals are creating unnecessary scare among people in the name of dengue fevers for financial reasons. Surprisingly, the Vijayawada general government hospital does not have the ‘platelets’ transfusion system. “We do not have such system at the hospital. But we provide the treatment to dengue patients,” said Dr S Babu Lal, superintendent of the GGH, Vijayawada.
Five die in Prakasm, Guntur districts
Meanwhile, Prakasam and Guntur districts are under the grip of dengue. As many as 54 dengue cases were registered in Prakasam district so far this year. Out of them, two patients have died of dengue.
Nandamuri Kranti Kumar (8) of Trovagunta village in Ongole mandal and D Katam Raju (26) of Chetupateru in Pullacheruvu mandal died due to dengue fever in the district, said Prakasam DM&HO K Sudhakar Babu.
“But the situation is under control and we have taken all the precautions. Yerragondapalem, Pullalacheruvu, Addanki, Chimakurthy, CS Puram and Bestavaripet are identified as mosquito prone areas,” he added. In Guntur district, three dengue deaths have been reported against a total of 33 dengue cases, said DM&HO M Gopi Naik. He said that they cannot confirm the dengue positive cases unless they get a report from the Microbiology Department of the Guntur Medical College or the Institute of Preventive Medicine (IMP). Guntur general government hospital’s superintendent Dr Chella Mohan Rao said that 70 platelets packets are always kept ready at GGH.