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Lack of health infrastructure behind rise in diseases across Gujarat: Manasvi Thapar

Following the submission of the affidavit, the court has now posted the hearing of the matter on August 29.

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Gujarat ranks third in the country when it comes to swine flu deaths
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In a public interest litigation (PIL) questioning the shortage of health infrastructure, the petitioner — Manasvi Thapar — on Tuesday submitted before the Gujarat High Court that the state has the second-highest number of swine flu cases in the country in 2019. It was also submitted that Gujarat ranks third in the country when it comes to swine flu deaths.

In an affidavit submitted to the court, the petitioner has annexed the data recently tabled before the Lok Sabha in which it was revealed that Gujarat has recorded 4,772 cases of swine flu till June 23 along with 149 deaths. The petitioner claimed that it is the lack of infrastructure and medical facilities in the state that is attributing to the spread of water and vector-borne diseases, with the state government not taking enough measures to contain it.

The petitioner in his PIL has appealed to the court to direct the authorities to take effective steps for prevention and control of water and vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, chikungunya, jaundice, and diarrhoea. The petitioner has also sought the court's direction to the government to provide adequate treatment and medical care to all patients free of cost. Thapar has claimed that patients are being charged for being treated, whereas the government continues to claim that free treatment is being rendered.

The situation in the city is no better. As per Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) data, 495 cases of plasmodium falciparum malaria and 25 cases of plasmodium vivax malaria have been registered in the city till August 17 in the ongoing month, whereas last year in August, the number of malaria cases under these categories was 2,140 and 309, respectively. Similarly, 78 dengue cases and 1 chikungunya case has been reported in the current month, whereas the number of such cases for the same period last year was 309 and 23.

As against 787 diarrhoea and 537 jaundice cases in August 2018, this year the number of such cases have reduced to 270 and 184 till August 17. Similarly, typhoid cases have reduced from 525 in August last year to 271 this year. While 36 cholera cases were registered in August last year, no case of cholera has been reported till August 17.

Following the submission of the affidavit, the court has now posted the hearing of the matter on August 29.

State’s Health Crisis

  • Petitioner claimed that lack of infrastructure and medical facilities is attributing to rise in water and vector-borne diseases; the state government is not taking enough measures to contain it 
  • While the petitioner claimed that patients are being charged for being treated, the state government continues to claim that free treatment is being rendered
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