Hyderabad: Three children died due to dengue fever on Tuesday while undergoing treatment in private hospitals in the city and in Ranga Reddy district.
The children were admitted to the periphery hospitals on time but intensive care units was allegedly not up to the mark, leading to their deaths, claim medical experts. A total of seven children have died from July to September 2017 in the state.
A senior pediatrician on condition of anonymity explained, “A child of ten years has died after nine days of illness, which is a long period and clearly states that it has not been properly medically managed.”
Dr Sivaranjani Santosh, senior pediatrician explained, “In dengue cases, 99 per cent efforts have to be put in fluid and blood management, as the body fluid lessens and often leaks due to the fever. When this happens the body loses out on water and it requires to be rehydrated orally or intravenously. If not checked on time, often loss of fluids can affect the kidney and then the child has to be put on a renal replacement therapy or hemodialysis.”
The most important aspect in dengue fever is to prevent shock and if that stage is reached a aggressive management is required. Dr Farhan Sheikh, senior pediatrician explained, “In critical cases, intensive care units require not only equipments but also specialist nurses who are trained to monitor and take care of the patient. An intensivist has to monitor them round the clock and check blood and fluid parameters. In hospitals when rehydration is carried out it is important that it does not exceed the limit or else the heart will get affected. Hence a very good, trained team is required to manage critical stage.” Experts state that it is not only early diagnosis of dengue fever that matters but effective medical management.
A senior doctor on condition of anonymity explained, “Within city limits, referring a case to another more equipped centre for medical management has become an ego issue. Doctors in smaller hospitals feel that if one patient is sent then others will also go away. This attitude is costing the patient his life. Currently there is no mechanism in place to review these kind of lapses.”
Reporting of dengue cases to the government-district medical and health officials is mandatory but within city limits only 20 hospitals are following this norm. Government health officials and private doctors are often at loggerheads as they dispute over the diagnosis and also the medical procedures.
A senior health official explained, “The dispute arises as health officials are called after the treatment is over. No one reports during the treatment time where proper scrutiny can be carried out.”
