Delhi adds hospital beds as dengue stings more people – ET HealthWorld

New Delhi: Taking note of the increasing cases of dengue in the city, the municipal corporations have reserved around 200 beds in major hospitals for treatment of patients diagnosed with vector-borne diseases.
The latest report released by South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Monday highlighted 139 new dengue cases last week, taking the total number to 480. The number is higher than the corresponding period of the past two years. In 2020, there were 316 cases and 467 in 2019.

“We are taking steps to ensure that treatment and testing is accessible to all suspected or infected patients,” said a civic official.

North Delhi Municipal Corporation has designated 145 beds at Hindu Rao and Kasturba hospitals. The number of beds will be increased if the need arises.
“We have appointed nodal officers and set up coordination committees for management of services related with cases of vector-borne diseases. All fever cases are being screened for such diseases to minimise the chances of delay in treatment. Screening units have been provided with medicines, diagnostic kits, drips and fluids in sufficient quantities,” said a north corporation official.

East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) has made a 40-bed dengue ward at Swami Dayanand Hospital. “Till now, 47 cases of dengue and 15 of malaria have been confirmed in our area. On Monday, 40 patients were admitted with dengue-like symptoms. After testing, 18 cases were confirmed,” said an EDMC official.
A facility for platelet transfusion has also been started for patients with low count or dysfunction. “We have an Apheresis machine that can help increase platelets by 20,000-30,000. This facility is far better than transfusion through random donors, which can increase chances of infection,” said a senior doctor at Swami Dayanand Hospital.

In east Delhi, testing facilities are available at Swami Dayanand, Veer Savarkar, GTB and Chhota Bazar Civil hospitals.

To increase the workforce for awareness and fogging in high-risk areas, the public health department has asked for assistance from 78 drivers who no longer lift garbage as the job has been given to a private concessionaire. “We are focusing on border areas as states like UP have reported many cases,” said an official.
SDMC is in the process of developing dengue wards at its 18 blood testing centres, including Tilak Nagar and Lajpat Nagar colony hospitals, polyclinics at Ghumanhera, Tughlaqabad, Jangpura and Bijwasan, and maternity homes.

“We have distributed 11,000 kits for testing dengue and chikungunya to all health centres. They are also doing platelet testing and giving immediate treatment to infected people in OPDs,” said an SDMC official.