Expressing concern over rising deaths due to dengue fever, the Delhi High Court directed the Delhi Government and Municipal Corporations to take stringent steps, from cleanliness and fumigation to making sure there are requisite facilities in all hospitals to ensure the city is dengue-free.
A bench of Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog directed that the authorities (Government and civic bodies) must take this PIl as a representation and take necessary steps to curb the deadly disease. The bench also asked the petitioner lawyer to approach the appropriate authority with his suggestions for “effective” implementation of an action plan to prevent dengue from spreading in the city.
Citing newspaper reports on the non-availability of beds in hospitals with the number of dengue cases increasing, advocate Gaurav Bansal alleged that the civic authorities as well as the Government have failed in implementing the plan of action prepared by a Government-appointed committee to prevent dengue. The petitioner claimed that 466 cases of dengue have been reported till date in the city. “With the rise in the number of dengue cases in the Capital, there is acute shortage of beds at most hospitals in the city,” the plea said and sought a direction to authorities to provide a hospital bed to each dengue patient and to bear full and comprehensive expenses for their treatment.
The petitioner also sought that free test kits be given to all private hospitals. “Direct the respondents (MCD and Health Ministry, Union of India) to provide NS-1 Antigen ElISA kits to all private hospitals within the jurisdiction of the National Capital,” said the plea. It sought “Constitution of an independent committee to effectively monitor the implementation of mid-term action plan (2011-2013) and long-term action plan issued by National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.” According to the latest report by Municipal bodies, 912 cases have been reported from Delhi and surrounding areas till now.