Nagpur: Despite the issue of dengue spread being raised frequently in the General Body Meetings of Nagpur Municipal Corporation, the Health Department refuses to wake up from deep slumber. The lethargic attitude of NMC’s Health Department is forcing the helpless patients to go to private hospitals which are cashing in on dengue scare and spreading panic among patients.
Recently, the Chairman of Health Committee had directed the NMC officials to initiate actions against such private hospitals which are falsifying reports and diagnosing ordinary fevers as dengue in order to extract huge money from patients.
It may be recalled, the number of dengue patients increased this year mainly due to accumulated filth and dirty water. The cleanliness drives undertaken by NMC have remained on papers only.
Taking the advantage of the dreadful situation, the private hospitals are taking the patients for a costly ride. The private hospitals, in the name of treating dengue fever, charge the patients Rs 25,000-30,000 for various tests and treatment. The private hospitals spread dengue scare. Many of them are not sending information to NMC regarding dengue patients. On one hand, the government is conducting awareness campaigns and on the other, private hospitals are looting people in the name of dengue.
The issue of dengue spread was raised in GBM of Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Corporators had assailed the working of Malaria and Filaria Department. But the Head of the Department escaped punitive action despite a number of deaths due to dengue, malaria, swine flu and other diseases. The members had even demanded suspension of head of Malaria and Filaria Department.
