Seasonal diseases strike city

With the onset of the rainy season, the threat of seasonal diseases, are increasing in the city. Many hospitals besides the Ronald Ross Fever Hospital, are swelling with patients suffering from flu, viral fever, typhoid and gastroenteritis. As junior doctors in the state are on an indefinite strike since July 29, the handling of out-patients has become a herculean task for the doctors at the government teaching hospitals.

Though the officials of Gandhi, Osmania, Niloufer, Petla Burj and Koti Maternity Hospitals claim that things were running smooth at their respective hospitals with the allocation of extra doctors from Osmania and Vida Vichada Parishad Hospitals, the medical services in the state have been hit. This was clearly seen at the out-patient and in-patient wards in these hospitals. Many in-patients at the teaching hospitals like Osmania and Gandhi were leaving the hospital due to inadequate staff.

Dr Shankar of Gandhi Hospital said, “There is no impact of junior doctor’s strike in our hospital. Except the post graduates, 25 house surgeons are attending to their duties. On Monday our OP was 678 and number of in-patients on other days range from 80-100, whereas in rainy season the number rises to 120. Till date as there was no endemics spurt, the morbidity due to seasonal communicable diseases has not been alarming. In most developed regions like Hyderabad, seasonality of morbidity is generally low.”
A general medicine expert at the Gandhi Hospital said, “A number of our patients are suffering from viral fevers, infections, flu, cough and cold. Typhoid and Hepatitis cases have also been identified among them but are not high in number. Due to the rainy season, the out patients are suffering more from viral infections and most of them are in middle aged group.”

According to official sources, “The mosquito menace is under control this rainy season. Malaria and dengue cases are very less this year when compared to the past. The preventive measures taken by the state government and the general awareness among people have helped in abating mosquito related diseases.”

Speaking about the registered cases of seasonal diseases, the source added, “At the Fever Hospital, 2-3 positive malaria cases, 3-4 typhoid cases and 5-10 Gastroenteritis cases are registered per day. Viral Hepatitis cases are also escalating, jaundice in particular. 2-5 jaundice cases are registered every day. Meanwhile 10-15 fever cases were identified in OP. Dog bites and diphtheria cases have comparatively declined.” Speaking on virulence of seasonal diseases in the city, Dr Narendrudu, District Medical and Health Officer said, “This week gastroenteritis and diarrhoea cases are high in number (217).

Because of Bonalu and Ramzan festivals, more food related infection cases were registered. 18 malaria cases, 8 dengue cases, 11 typhoid cases and 2 cholera cases were registered this week. With the cooperation of GHMC we were conducting health camps in susceptible areas for thirteen days. Depending upon the virulence of communal diseases, camps would be extended to different areas.”

According to one study, after malaria, most of the people in the state suffer from TB. The endemic malaria zones in our state are hilly and forest tract areas like Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Khammam, Visakhapatnam, and Adilabad. In these five districts plasmodium falciparum malaria (brain fever) is high which is more virulent and morbidity rates are also high.

At the Fever Hospital, 2-3 positive malaria cases, 3-4 typhoid cases and 5-10 Gastroenteritis cases are registered per day. Viral Hepatitis cases are also escalating, jaundice in particular. 2-5 jaundice cases are registered every day. Meanwhile 10-15 fever cases were identified in OP. Dog bites and diphtheria cases have comparatively declined