Worst dengue outbreak in capital, Delhi government launches dengue helpline number

With the capital battling its worst dengue outbreak in last five years, the Delhi government on Monday launched a dengue helpline number 011-23307145 to provide callers a round-the-clock information on the disease and its treatments, as they canceled leaves of doctors and paramedical staff including nurses and lab technicians in city hospitals. As per the municipal corporation's latest data, 613 cases of dengue have been reported in the last one week taking the total to 1,872 testing positive to the vector borne disease. The outbreak has caused five deaths so far.

Explaining that the number of beds in hospitals for dengue patients have been increased by three times as compared to last year and the government hospitals are ready to accommodate patients, health minister Satyendra Jain said that it is panic that is causing people to rush to hospitals.

"We have directed municipalities to spread awareness on the adverse affects of self medication and have also directed hospitals to open special fever clinics to deal with patients of suspected Dengue cases,"an official said.
As part of the measures. Jain held a meeting with the municipal commissioners of the three municipal corporations of the city to start door-to-door awareness drives and ensure strict compliance of preventive measures of the disease.

The Delhi government has also made the three-Parliamentary Secretaries for Health as the Nodal point for coordination to handle dengue related issues with its MLAs. The secretaries would be handling issues like medicine shortage, testing kit shortage, other issues related with the disease.

On the other hand, Union minister for health and family welfare, JP Nadda also stepped in to address the burgeoning dengue crisis in the capital, and asked the Delhi government to take action against the five private hospitals that turned away 7-year-old dengue patient Avinash Rout, leading to his death and his parents' subsequent suicide.

The central ministry also asked the AAP-led Delhi government to expedite the process of increasing beds in hospitals, amidst what is being called the worst dengue crisis in Delhi in the past five years, as cases have gone up dramatically from August to September.

Though, like last week, the ministry emphasised the situation was under control, the deaths of the Routs has clearly sent ripples of shock through the capital.

Nadda chaired a 'high-level' meet, attended by secretary BP Sharma and senior officials of the National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme. In a bid to appear calm and in control, the ministry, in its statement said again that it had started its preparation for dengue in February itself, issuing 12 advisories between March and August, including one to all chief ministers in April.

The ministry reiterated that it was constantly and closely reviewing and monitoring the situation with the State Government, Municipal Bodies, NDMC, Delhi Cantonment Board, CPWD, MS of Central Government hospitals in Delhi and the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), the nodal agency for prevention and control of dengue.

It also said that there was an adequate stock of dengue testing kits in the city. However, media reports have been raising concerns that hospitals are falling short of these IgM and NS1 kits, and that the number of cases with the government are not accurate.