Hyderabad: Under-reporting of cases is rampant in the district medical and health offices across Telangana and AP, despite rising cases of dengue fever, malaria and diarrhoea.
Government and private doctors are upset as health officials, despite notifying, are not willing to report the cases as they are scared that it will create fear among the public.
Dr K. Narsimulu, professor of general medicine at Gandhi Hospital, said, “There are many cases of dengue and malaria. We are doing our duty to call upon public health officials to notify the cases. But if they do not record the data, there is very little that we can do.”
The doctors, recently, had a continuous medical education programme for junior doctors, nurses and other para-medical staff to deal with these viral fevers at Gandhi Hospital.
This will also be done at the Fever Hospital and Osmania General Hospital because of the increasing number of cases.
Doctors say that every day, of the 100 cases of fever in government hospitals, five are of dengue and five of malaria.
A senior paediatrician with a private hospital, said, “Dengue started by early June this year after the heavy showers. At that time when the health officials were notified, they claimed that it couldn’t be so early and that we were trying to scare people. At the end of August also they are saying we are trying to scare people. Only cases with there is hospitalisation and prolonged stay are being reported.”
Dengue viruses are of four types. In some cases if the viral load is less, medication helps control the fever, but in cases where the viral load is high, one needs hospitalisation and blood platelets need to be checked
Rafat Bi, 28, who contracted dengue and had multiple complications, went into a semi-coma condition. Her son Riyaz Sheikh, said, “My mother took 15 days to get well as the viral load was high. The attack by the virus was strong because she is hypertensive and also a diabetic.”
Most people are not aware that preventive measures can control the breeding of mosquitoes. GHMC chief epidemiologist V. Venkatesh, said, “Spraying is being carried out in areas surrounding water bodies. People are being told not to store water for long periods.
“Door-to-door stickers have been pasted and awareness is being carried out in schools and hostels. All residential colonies have been contacted and their presidents have been asked to declare dry days. We are also requesting people not to spill water on the road while washing their home compounds.”
