One five year child died due to dengue in Bhilai on Saturday while undergoing treatment in a private hospital leading the death toll to 12. Within three days, it is the sixth death while on Friday two more school going children had died.
Meanwhile, Durg Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Subash Pandey has been shifted and Dr Gambhir Singh Thakur has been appointed as Chief Medical and Health Officer, Durg in an order by Health Director.
The Dengue outbreak has affected the areas of Khursipar and Bhilai Township area, said Dr S K Mandal, Malaria Officer Durg, when contacted.
He said that day and night the health camps in these areas are being organised and around 278 patients have been admitted in private, Government and other hospitals. Meanwhile, District Collector has issued directives to all the private hospitals to treat the patients free of cost.
Dr Mandal said that generally from the slum areas, the affected patients are not coming for the camp and are depending on the local traditional and quack treatment. Such cases are being then brought to the hospital in last stages where the patient is not responding to the treatment, leading to death.
He said even after district collector declaring free treatment in hospitals, the poor people have not come forward for early treatment.
Meanwhile, on the steps taken, he said that the larvae of Aedes mosquitoes are being found in the premises of houses only. The health department and Bhilai Municipal Corporation health teams are working together to eradicate them by spraying and other methods. He urged the people should come for check up and treatment to control the disease.
As per reports, four patients have been admitted in Bilaspur while three patients have been reported at Raipur. At Raipur all are collectorate employees. Meanwhile, Chief Secretary had visited the affected areas and held a meeting of the officials on Friday. He has instructed the officials to control the menace at any cost. Chief Secretary had visited the patients admitted in the hospital.
He had instructed that patients does not face shortage of blood platelets for which the blood banks should have additional stock of bloods. Bloods should be collected through blood donation camps.
Health department secretary Niharika Barik said that where traditional chemicals which the mosquitoes are resistant, then special effective chemicals for fogging. She instructed the officials to send daily report of the developments to the Government for review.
Cong says, it had already warned the Govt of the impending epidemic
Congress in a statement has stated that it had already warned the Government that the situation would be out of control more than a week before but it had not acted upon it. Now, it has reached Raipur and deaths are being reported. It points out towards the failure of Government to take necessary action at appropriate time. It is now taking form of epidemic.