Vector-Borne disease: Clinics to stay open on all days

With chikungunya fast turning into an epidemic in the city, Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain on Friday directed the vector-borne disease to be included in the “dangerous/notifiable category.” Once notified, it will be mandatory for all the hospitals in the national capital to share fatalities, patient count and other related data with the city government.

To accommodate the sea of patients, he also ordered all mohalla clinics, polyclinics and dispensaries to function on Sundays and gazetted holidays till October 30. There are around 150 mohalla clinics across the city.

In an order Mr Jain said: “In light of the prevailing chikungunya outbreak, it is directed that the issue of notifying chikungunya as dangerous/notifiable disease, be immediately taken up with the concerned local bodies.” Delhi has so far witnessed 31 deaths (Please check 31 was just on Thursday in a copy yesterday) due to the vector-borne diseases. The Centre will reserve 10 per cent beds at all its hospitals in the capital for dengue and chikungunya patients, Mr Jain said after meeting Union health minister J.P. Nadda. Mr Jain said there will be 1,000 extra beds for dengue and chikungunya patients at the government-run hospitals in Delhi. “In the meeting, I demanded reservation of 10 per cent beds at all Centre-run hospitals including AIIMS, RML and Safdurjung for treatment of dengue and chikungunya patients. Mr Nadda has agreed to it following which there will be additional 1,000 beds at Centre-run hospitals,” the minister said. On Thursday, Mr Jain had written to Mr Nadda requesting him to convene a meeting of the health ministers of the neighbouring states in order to prepare a strategy to deal with the situation.