LG asks all to rise above political considerations to deal with diseases

Lt Governor Najeeb Jung today asked Delhi government and civic bodies to mount full efforts to tide over the growing incidences of dengue and chikungunya, appealing all to rise above political considerations to deal with vector-borne diseases which have claimed several lives this season.

Yesterday, Health Minister Satyendar Jain had accused the LG of "paralysing" the city's health system to deal with chikungunya and dengue by "creating" hurdles in the functioning of AAP government.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also said Jung and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be "questioned" over the issue as "all powers" rested with them.

Within hours of returning from United States in the afternoon, Jung, who also faced criticism for being away from the capital for ten days, held a high-level meeting to review the situation related to spread of vector-borne diseases.

Delhi Health Secretary Chandrakar Bharti, who was also on a 15-day leave, cut short his holidays and today joined back to work owing to sudden spurt in such cases.

The Lt Governor today took stock of the situation and got feedback from medical superintendents of major hospitals in Delhi and also about the steps taken by Health Department to tide over the current situation.

In meeting, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that private hospitals must not use this opportunity to exploit patients and asked people not to panic.

He also informed the LG that the government has cancelled leave of all hospital staff and has issued directions to hospital to employ temporary staff for the next two months. The Rogi Kalyan Samiti too is working round the clock and is making ORS available in hospitals.

Jung directed the Health Department and MS of hospitals present, to ensure that hospitals, clinics and laboratories do not turn away any critical case of Chikungunya or Dengue.

He added that though the hospitals and staff are under tremendous pressure, they must rise to the occasion to meet the challenge.

He also directed the municipal agencies to mount full scale efforts to check mosquito breeding and follow a targeted approach, based on pockets of high incidence and to carry out planned fumigation in vulnerable areas.

Lt Governor directed all stakeholders - the health department and municipal bodies to generate more robust awareness about prevention and cure through advertisements, radio spots, circulation of pamphlets/posters, particularly in neighbourhoods, especially those which are more vulnerable. He urged them to use advertisements to spread awareness, informing people of the dos and don'ts.

"I appeal to all to rise above political considerations and fight the menace unitedly . Historically, in emergency, people have come together and fought together. That is what is required now," LG said.

Jung was informed by East MCD that it has reported 70 cases of Dengue and 57cases of Chikungunya. The East MCD has 700 Domestic Breeder Checkers and 4 spray machines, fogging machines and pumps. EDMC has issued 16000 legal notices and prosecuted 1400 houses for breeding of mosquitoes

The meeting was attended by Health Minister, Chief Secretary K K Sharma, Health Secretary, Chairman (NDMC), all three MCD with their medical health officers, medical superintendents of all major hospitals of Delhi.

Five more deaths from chikungunya complications were reported today at a private hospital in Delhi, taking to 10 the number of fatalities due to the vector-borne disease in the national capital that is grappling with a severe health crisis.

All five deaths have taken place at Apollo Hospital and most of the victims were aged 80 or above.

Jung urged the city to come together and help tide over the situation.

He appealed to all citizens, who as individuals have a larger stake in prevention of breeding of mosquitoes within households and neighbourhoods, to ensure that no water stagnates and water tanks and other utensils used for water storage are kept covered.