Dengue cases on the rise

Nellore: With surging dengue cases in the district, the demand for platelets had increased ten-fold and patients, who face shortage of blood are running after blood banks and donor agencies for blood. Around 86 dengue cases were reported in the last 3 months in the district. According to data, more than 50,000 fever cases were reported in the district within one month.

• More than 10 deaths reported in the entire district but officials yet to confirm
• Dengue patients thronging private hospitals in Tirupati and Chennai as the govt hospitals in city are facing shortage of platelets

The number may be more as people on the southern part of the district are visiting hospitals in Tirupati and Chennai for better treatment. In fact, dengue cases are on the steep rise in the district for some time and thousands of fever cases are being reported in the district. Majority are visiting private hospitals as the government hospitals are facing shortage of platelets.

According to the officials, only 70 dengue cases reported in the entire district. Fever patients are thronging the hospitals in the city and some were expressing inability to provide treatment immediately due to shortage of beds and support staff. Narayana, Simhapuri, KIMS, People’s Poly Clinic, and other government medical facilities such as Government General Hospital and PHCs across the district are giving treatment to these patients.

It was said more than 10 death cases were also reported due to dengue in the district till now. But, the Medical and Health department officials yet to confirm the deaths. Some deaths were also reported in Tirupati and Chennai hospitals and the authorities have to collect data of such cases.

“The situation aggravated due to lack of facility at the GGH where the process of separating platelets from blood is not being done adequately. It requires dedicated staff and machinery for the facility. So, people have to rely on blood banks and other private hospitals for immediate treatment which is expensive and gives scope for exploitation,” said a senior medical officer from the GGH.

He admitted that the number of dengue cases in June was very nominal and it increased abnormally by mid-September. In fact, due to huge number of cases being reported on a daily basis, medical authorities are also failing to provide platelets and simply asking them to wait till availability leaving them in a tense situation.

“Every patient may not require platelets since decrease in count of platelets is normal in any fever due to viral load. But, patients have to be careful and they need to join hospital as soon as the count decreases to 15,000-20,000 where observation is required on future development. Otherwise, dengue cases can also be treated on par with other fevers,” said Dr CV Subrahmanyam, a leading physician in city.

But, some private hospitals have been advising the patients to visit super specialty hospitals in Chennai and other places for better treatment at the time of emergency where they were forced to spend lakhs of rupees. According to patients from the district, hospitals in Chennai and Tirupati are also being crowded with patients from southern parts of the district.

Some private hospitals were not accepting outside reports insisting them to undergo lab tests in their facilities only besides pressurising them to get platelets too. District Medical and Health Officer Dr Varasundaram was not available to comment on the developments.

By P V Prasad