Khammam: Seventeen dengue deaths in Bonakal mandal are allegedly due to the high dosage of steroids and painkillers prescribed by registered medical practitioners. District health officials said the matter is being probed.
Steroid medicines like hydro cortosone sodium, methyl prednisolone and deflazacort are being prescribed in high doses to dengue fever patients along with the painkiller hyoscine butylbromide, creating complications and also infections in the body. District health officials said the matter is being probed
Drugs collected for probe
District medical and health officer N. Kondal Rao says, “We are conducting an inquiry into these deaths. None of the patient was brought to the primary health centre for treatment. They have all been treated by registered medical practitioners and hence the allegations by their relatives that steroids were given is being looked into.”
The district medical and health officers have collected all the medicines given to these patients and are carrying out an inquiry into the same. So far seven cases have been looked into where medical reports and the prescription by the RMP have shown use of steroids.
A senior health officer said, “Medicines given by the family members were not the right ones. Paracetomol along with rest and a balanced diet with good intake of fluids is recommended. Instead these patients have been given steroids which increased their energy levels and also made them prone to infections.”
With patients not coming to public health centres and opting for treatment only with RMPs, the government has sent medical teams to the villages. Six teams have been dispatched to L. Govindapuram, Alla-padu, Ravinuthala, Kala-kota, Mustikuntla, Ramapuram, Chiruno-mula, Choppakat-lapalem, Brahmanapalli and A Govindapuram to identify severe cases and send them to government area hospitals for treatment.
B. Balaji, general physician said, “Corti-costeroids like deflazacort are used for auto-immune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies and asthma. The other medicines also act adversely on the central nervous system.”
