Andheri residents who lost their son to dengue do their bit to save others from the harmful disease
Aaron Joseph, 22, was just six months away from graduating from his Communication Design course at ISDI Parsons in Mumbai. While paying tribute to the city's latest dengue victim at his funeral on Monday, his friends described him as "warm and caring".
"On October 24 he had fever and he was detected with dengue but everything was fine. His health deteriorated on October 28 and it deteriorated further after that suddenly," his mother Margaret said. The only child of his parents, his mother says he was full of plans for his future and very ambitious.
The family live in Andheri's Amboli area and there are over a dozen dengue patients in their housing society alone. The civic body has been carrying out fogging in the area but the number of patients only continue to rise.
"The area is infested. There are many dengue cases here," Margaret adds.
Mumbai has reported around 705 dengue cases in 2016 but the actual number is expected to be much higher as several small clinics and private hospitals fail to notify the civic body.
Larson Fernandes, 46, who took matters in his own hand and bought a fogging machine is of the opinion that citizens need to play an active role in keeping the surroundings clean. His only son Brenden, 15, succumbed to dengue last year. "For me life has come to a standstill after his death," says the grieving father. His anger though is directed at the residents. "Our people don't keep the area clean. We have to take responsibility for our surroundings," Larson said.
A resident of Juhu Koliwada Larson says that when BMC officials slap residents with notices for the mosquito breeding spots, the officials are abused. "A common man is not ready to help out, what can the civic authorities do?" he asks.
Data from the RTIs filed by the civil society organsation, Praja, shows that the number of dengue cases have risen by five times in the past five years.
Dengue deaths in the city
62 in 2011
124 in 2015
Source: Praja Foundation
Ward-wise dengue deaths between April 2011 and December 2015 in Mumbai
Andheri (W): K/W ward
69 deaths
Byculla: E ward
45 deaths
Parel: F/S ward
41 deaths
Andheri (E): K/E ward and Matunga F/N ward
31 deaths
Malad: P/N ward
27 deaths
Dadar: GN ward
25 deaths
Source: Praja Foundation
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Aaron Joseph’s parents")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}