With the advent of monsoon, come many dreaded diseases like Dengue. The problem of water-logging begins at various places where the larvae of the Dengue mosquitoes flourish. However, the district health department seems to be oblivious of the danger lurking in it. Neither any awareness programmes nor fumigation drives have been launched so far to take on the looming vector-borne menace.
With every passing year, the number of Dengue deaths rises. But the district administration and health department seem to be sleeping over it. The death from Dengue continues unabated with no effort being made to stamp it out root and branch.
The doctors are scarce in the district hospitals. There is a lack of facilities like blood component separating unit. The people are made to run from pillar to post to get the medicines required to fight Dengue. The nearest hospital is Himalayan Institute of Jolly Grant at Bhaniyawala in Dehradun.
Whenever a death occurs pass-the-buck game starts. The health department tends to shift the blame to Nagar Nigam, saying that it is a collective community responsibility to stop the spread of the disease. The civic body officials do the same, citing the same logic.
True, it is a collective responsibility. As the health department’s responsibility is immense it is the same with Nagar Nigam. The latter can hardly shirk its duty to maintain cleanliness in the urban areas. Besides, it must be prompt to clear the drains and roads during the monsoon season.
Speaking on the preventive part, Dr Mohit Chaudhry of district hospital, ICDS department, says, “Most of the cases are reported from central Haridwar where maximum number of dharamshalas and hotels has come up. Many hotels have water coolers which are found to be clogged with stored water. The regular cleaning can ensure that larvae of mosquitoes do not get breeding grounds.”
The district chief medical officer Aarti Dhondiyal said, “We are serious as it is time for the onset of Dengue. Departmental meeting would be held soon and people would be made aware to take precautions against the deadly disease.” However, the refrain runs that the departments together must act before it is too late, some that seldom happens. “The health department is not meant to mere count the number of patients. It must be pro-active before the vector-borne disease spreads its wings. Similarly, the civic body must rise to the occasion to take the dreaded menace head-on,” said an elderly resident of Haridwar.