Pink eye makes civic body see red

The pink-eye syndrome is back in the city. Conjunctivitis is increasingly afflicting Mumbaikars. In the span of just 17 days, 850 people have caught the infection. That is 50 patients a day. This figure is so high that it has the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) startled.

After a spate of malaria deaths, the BMC has pulled up its socks to tackle conjunctivitis. Evening outpatient departments (OPDs), started to combat malaria, will continue to exist for the time being.

“The evening OPDs have helped to tackle the upsurge in malaria cases. The OPDs in all three major civic hospitals and peripheral hospitals will continue to provide medical assistance to conjunctivitis patients,” said additional municipal commissioner (health) Manisha Mhaiskar.

Also, the availability of medicines is being monitored. To contain the increasing number of conjunctivitis patients, the BMC has refurbished medicine stocks in all its hospitals.

“The necessary medicines have been supplied to the hospitals. The infection is a seasonal occurrence, so inadequacy of medicine is out of the question,” Mhaiskar said. Additional manpower has been roped in by the civic body’s health department to tackle the cases of infection.

The BMC has also issued an advisory for citizens. People suffering from conjunctivitis should not indulge in self-medication, Dr GT Ambe, executive health officer, has cautioned. “Patients should avoid crowded areas and maintain minimal mobility to keep the infection at bay,” he said.

Conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the eye membrane and the inner eyelid, is caused by bacteria and virus. Ophthalmologists warn that self-medication and ignoring the symptoms of viral conjunctivitis can lead to serious consequences. “If cases of viral conjunctivitis are not medicated properly as per the advice of ophthalmologists, patients can also develop corneal oedema,” said Dr Ragini Parikh, head of the department of ophthalmology at JJ hospital.

Corneal oedema is an ailment which can lead to damaged cornea causing visual acuity.

However, the BMC has appealed to citizens to not develop cold feet. “Citizens should not panic, as the infection is an annual occurrence. After each monsoon, cases of conjunctivitis are recorded. People just need to take a few precautions,” Mhaiskar said.