Vikarabad: Officials flayed for failure to rein in dengue scourge

Vikarabad: The recent incident of patients being treated outside, followed by government officials raid on the Mission Hospital raised many eyebrows. It is a fact that the government hospitals in the district, including the district headquarter has no facility to diagnose fevers like dengue. The medical authorities are referring the dengue suspected cases to Hyderabad, which is 80 km from here and 120 km from Tandur.

The poor cannot afford to go to the State capital for treatment. The official machinery never bothered to arrange alternative arrangements like holding special camps etc. It is obvious that people who cannot go to Hyderabad would go for available alternative, which is at Mission Hospital.

The 100-year-old hospital is extending its medical service to the needy. But government officials claim that the hospital has been functioning without proper permissions and the diagnosis is wrong and treatment is not correct.

People question the officials, why don't they take action against the diagnostic centers if the reports were wrong. They question why they were underplaying the deaths due to dengue?

On other hand, the superintendent of Mission Hospital Dr Avinash ridiculed the statements of the DM&HO. Treatment is given to the patients only after thoroughly checking the reports, he said. Referring the images, showing a huge number of patients, he asked why the officials didn't set up special medical camps, when a big number of people were suffering with such fevers.

He said the hospital was established for charity and was charging a nominal fee from them. If they cannot afford, the treatment is given for free, the doctor said.

Dr Avinash said the hospital records were maintaining properly. "We applied for the permission after paying a DD of Rs 10. 000, but the officials did not respond," he said.

Let the dispute between Mission Hospital and government officials get settled or worsen further, but it cannot be denied that the number of fever cases were on the rise in the district and this issue should be addressed immediately.