Pimpri: Dengue & Malaria

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-n...pimpri/401719/

Dengue kills 4 in 40 days in Pimpri

Pune Disease dossier : Civic body warns hospitals shrouding details

Four persons have died of dengue in the industrial town of Pimpri-Chinchwad in the last 40 days. One of them died of dengue haemorrhagic fever ? said to be the worst form of dengue that leads to death within a day. Last week, a dengue death was reported from Pune city as well.

While The Indian Express had names and medical details of the four persons who died of dengue, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, till 5 pm on Monday, was claiming that only one person had died of dengue this year. Later, the medical department confirmed that four persons did die of dengue this year.

PCMC medical officer Dr Kamal Yadav now says the medical records were not updated, and three names had not been entered in the register. ?We have now updated the records,? she said.

Senior PCMC officials and civic activists, however, said the death toll could actually be much more. ?PCMC records show 426 people have been affected by dengue since January this year. The number could be over 800,? said a civic officer.

Confirming the fact, PCMC medical director Dr Rajshekhar Iyer said out of the nearly 280 small and big hospitals in PCMC region, only 15 provide details about patients who underwent treatment.

?We have recently sent notices to all the hospitals to provide complete details about the patients being treated by them. It is mandatory for the hospitals operating in our area to provide complete information,? he said. Iyer said if hospitals fail to provide details of patients, the PCMC will be forced to cancel their registration. ?We will act tough against such hospitals,? the medical director said.

?There is no treatment for dengue...It is a self-limiting disease. Crocin is helpful in controlling dengue fever. Dengue haemorrhagic fever happens when there are complications in the disease,? he said.

Iyer said the PCMC was going all out to create public awareness about dengue, but citizens continue to remain apathetic. Even basic advice against storage of fresh water in buckets, drums, flower pots, coolers, refrigerators, tyres and tubes was ignored by the general public.

Casualty list
* Drupati Devasi (above), 45, of Kundannagar, was the first victim this year. She died on November 10 at Niramaya Hospital. She had dengue haemorrhagic fever? the worst form of dengue.
* Bharat Shinde, 59, of Nehrunagar, died on December 1. His was the only record available with the PCMC till Monday evening.
* Mahendra Phadke, of Kasarwadi, died on December 5. Nirmaya hospital superintendent Subhash Rajule confirmed that Phadke had died due to dengue and PCMC had been informed.
* Annusaya Dhume, 56, of Pimple Saudagar, died of dengue at a private hospital in Pune on December 8.

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue kills 4 in 40 days in Pimpri

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/In...nk-PCMC/489511

In Pimpri, malaria cases cross 300, dengue 187; citizens debunk PCMC
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2009 at 0618 hrs Pune:

Dengue and malaria continue their surge in Pimpri-Chinchwad without any tangible efforts from the civic body to curb the menace. While malaria has crossed the 300 mark, dengue cases have reached 187 since January. Even as it rained throughout Tuesday, the medical department of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is expecting that the showers would make the mosquitoes disappear for the time being. Generally, dengue and malaria cases flare up post-monsoon as has been the pattern over the years, but this year right during monsoon dengue and malaria are making life miserable for citizens.

Right from the beginning of the year, malaria cases have been outnumbering dengue cases In June, Pimpri-Chinchwad saw the highest number of malaria cases at 112. This month till Monday (July 13), 56 malaria cases have been recorded and in the same period as many as 41 dengue were registered. In fact, in last two-three years both dengue and malaria cases have shown frightening rise. In 2007, malaria cases broke all past records to touch the 655-mark. In 2008, malaria cases stood at 343. On the other hand, dengue cases in past two years have crossed 400 mark.

[Shiloh]

Re: Pimpri: Dengue & Malaria

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/De...ddling-/493027

Dengue 87, malaria 102: Pimpri gets a scare; officials ?fiddling?
Posted: Thursday , Jul 23, 2009 at 0409 hrs Pune:
Dengue

As many as 87 dengue cases have been reported from different parts of Pimpri-Chinchwad so far in this month. Similarly, 102 persons have been affected by malaria till July 22. The figures of dengue and malaria cases in July are the highest for any month recorded by the medical department of the PCMC this year. Dengue and malaria cases generally surface post-monsoon as has been trend over the years. But this year, right during monsoon and that too in July both dengue and malaria mosquitoes have been on the prowl.

With July giving frightening moments to citizens, the total number of citizens affected by malaria since January thus stands at 351 and dengue 233. Even these figures are not for real as several citizens from Pimpri-Chinchwad prefer to get themselves treated in Pune hospitals rather than in local hospitals.

The PCMC medical department, where seniors like medical chief Dr Nagkumar Kunachgi and Dr Rajshekhar Iyer hold the reins, has been under fire for quite sometime. Civic activists often accuse the duo of operating from their cabins rather than going around the town and creating awareness among the citizens about cleanliness, about storage of water and the like. "Both of them are quite experienced persons and have good oratory skill. Instead of sitting in their cabins and giving lectures and frequently speaking on cellphones, both of them should go right in residential areas and hold meetings or a small talks with citizens. This is very much required as public awareness can bring down dengue cases which are spread by storage of fresh water for more than four days," says civic activist D G Baliga.

[Shiloh]

Re: Pimpri: Dengue & Malaria

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/22...month/514255/0

227: Record dengue cases in Pimpri-Chinchwad in one month
Posted: Tuesday , Sep 08, 2009 at 0300 hrs Pune:

Even as the swine flu cases are rising in Pimpri-Chinchwad, dengue cases have emerged as the new threat. In August, the twin industrial township witnessed the highest number of 227 cases which was the highest for any month since the aedis egyptia virus began making its presence felt a few years back. Similarly, malaria cases have also seen a sharp rise with 110 cases registered last month. In July too both dengue and malaria cases where on a high. Both had registered over 100 cases, but the number of cases recorded in August surpasses the previous record.

With maximum number of dengue cases last month, the total number of dengue cases since January up to August has reached 541 and malaria cases during the same period has reached 540. Pimple Saudagar, Pimple Nilakh and Wakad have been the three suburbs where maximum number of dengue cases have been recorded till last month. In August as well as this month, Indrayani Nagar has reportedly seen a large number of cases. According to local residents, at least 13 persons have been admitted to various hospitals, most of whom have reportedly recovered.

PCMC medical officials said like Pimple Saudagar, Pimple Nilakh and Wakad, Indrayani Nagar area has also witnessed tremendous construction activity due to which there has been a rise in dengue cases. "There have been hardly any casaulties of dengue. All the patients of dengue who had turned critical have recovered," PCMC officials said. Patients affected by dengue in Pimpri-Chinchwad generally prefer private hospitals like Aditya Birla, Chinchwad, Niramya Hospital, Chinchwad and Lokmanya Hospital, Chinchwad and Nigdi. However, residents from Sangvi, Bhosari, Dighi and Dapodi prefer private hospitals in Pune.

PCMC medical director Dr Rajshekhar Iyer said unlike swine flu cases, people don't have to cover their faces with masks neither does dengue spread after coming in contact with an affected patient. "For years, we have carried out public campaign telling residents not to store fresh water in pots, buckets, refrigerators for more than four days.

But the awareness level continues to be low among the residents. This applies to both the educated and the uneducated," he said. Dr Iyer said the PCMC medical team had carried out extensive campaigning even in industrial area where the scrap material including broken tyres and tubes can be found lying all over the place. "We had distributed pamphlets and leaflets in several industrial units. I had also addressed the workers myself several times. I must stress that few industrial units have responded. Many still continue to ignore the threat of dengue," he said.

Dr Iyer said since construction activity has become inevitable due to rapid development of the town, the negative side is large pools of water at these construction sites are spawning the dengue and the malaria menace. "We have taken the builders to task. Notices have been issued to the builders to ensure proper hygenic conditons at their construction sites and get rid of fresh pools of water," he said.

Meanwhile, Municipal Commissioner Asheesh Sharma who had promised to overhaul the medical department has still not kept his word. Civic activists had demanded that Sharma should revamp the medical department as both PCMC medical chief Nagkumar Kunachgi and PCMC medical director Rajshekhar Iyer reportedly don't see eye to eye.

Activists had also demanded that a full-time senior officer be appointed to exclusively look into the rising cases of swine flu, dengue and malaria. Sharma had said he would activate the team, but is yet to live up to his promise.