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Delhi doctors down with dengue, chikungunya, hospitals suffer staff crunch

Delhi doctors down with dengue, chikungunya, hospitals suffer staff crunch

According to government-run Safdarjung Hospital, over 10 senior faculty members have tested positive for chikungunya, while at least 25 junior doctors are suffering from chikungunya and dengue.

Written by Agencies |Published : September 2, 2016 10:18 AM IST

It's not only the common people who are down with chikungunya and dengue here in the national capital -- even the doctors are suffering from the vector-borne diseases, leading to staff crunch in the city hospitals. Authorities told IANS on Thursday that they are witnessing a shortage of staff as many doctors, including senior faculty members, have tested positive for the vector-borne diseases, keeping them from discharging their duties. According to government-run Safdarjung Hospital, while a total of 10-12 senior faculty members have tested positive for chikungunya, at least 25 junior doctors, including senior and junior residents, are suffering from chikungunya and dengue. Notably, Safdarjung already has a staff shortage of over 30 per cent. A good number of our doctors are badly suffering from chikungunya and dengue, including senior faculty members and resident doctors. While a few of them are admitted to the hospital, many are on leaves and undergoing treatment at home as the dengue wards are flooded with patients and there is no space, A.K. Rai, Medical Superintendent of Safdarjung Hospital, told IANS. We are managing with very less number of doctors right now, Rai added. Rai said that there is also a shortage of beds which is creating a havoc-type situation in the hospitals.

Out of the 175 chikungunya patients in centrally-located Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, over 30 are doctors of the hospital itself, an official said. I personally know five senior faculty members of RML hospital who were badly ill with chikungunya and dengue. However, the total number of doctors suffering from chikungunya and dengue is somewhere between 30-35, V.K. Sinha, spokesperson of RML Hospital, told IANS. According to him, RML has a dengue ward having 110 beds. One fever clinic has also been started at the hospital to attend to the rising number of patients with viral fever, which is a major symptom of both dengue and chikungunya. According to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, which monitors the number of dengue and chikungunya cases across Delhi, a total of 487 cases of dengue and 432 cases of chikungunya have been reported in the national capital till August 27. While North Delhi has recorded the highest number of dengue cases at 98, South Delhi has recorded the highest number of Chikungunya cases at 25. However, the unofficial figures tell a different story, with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) alone witnessing over 450 cases of chikungunya. Here are 33 FAQs (frequently asked questions) about dengue answered.

This season over 50 medical staff of AIIMS, including 10-12 senior faculty members and many junior and senior residents, are suffering from chikungunya and dengue, said a senior doctor of the medicine department at AIIMS, wishing he not be identified. A total of 20 doctors at Ganga Ram Hospital are also suffering from chikungunya and dengue. Twelve of our senior doctors are suffering from chikungunya while eight of the doctors are suffering from dengue, Atul Gogia, senior consultant at Ganga Ram Hospital, told IANS. According to Punita Mahajan, Medical Superintendent of Ambedkar Hospital, in north-west Delhi, 10 per cent of the doctors working in the hospital have been reported to be suffering from viral fever. However, she was unable to confirm the exact number of staff members down with the vector-borne diseases. Here are some expert-recommended diet tips to fight dengue.

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As dengue and chikungunya cases continue to soar, affecting hundreds in the national capital, many doctors in the city hospitals have also fallen prey to the vector-borne diseases. Authorities told IANS on Thursday that they are witnessing a shortage of staff as many doctors, including senior faculty members in many hospitals, have tested positive for dengue and chikungunya, keeping them from discharging their duties. In a review meeting, Union Cabinet Secretary P.K Sinha on Thursday asked all stake holders in both the Centre and Delhi government to take action for the prevention and management of the vector borne diseases. He said that more public awareness programmes should be run and availability of medicines ensured. In a meeting with the health authorities, Centre, State and Municipal corporations, Sinha asked the bodies to intensively use the helpline facilities started for dengue and chikungunya cases in the national capital and the adjoining areas. Read more about treatment of dengue fever.

I hope that the residents will also participate by taking necessary preventive measures by maintaining cleanliness and the local bodies will use necessary increased fogging in the area, said a statement quoting Sinha. The authorities were informed that there was no scarcity of dengue testing kits, as reported by a few media houses. According to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, which monitors the number of dengue and chikungunya cases across Delhi, a total of 487 cases of dengue and 432 cases of chikungunya have been reported in the national capital till August 27. While North Delhi has recorded the highest number of dengue cases at 98, South Delhi has recorded the highest number of chikungunya with 25. Even doctors have fallen victim to the vector-borne diseases, leading to staff crunch in the city hospitals. According to government-run Safdarjung Hospital, over 10 senior faculty members have tested positive for chikungunya, while at least 25 junior doctors, including senior and junior residents, are suffering from chikungunya and dengue. Notably, Safdarjung already has a staff shortage of over 30 per cent. A good number of our doctors are badly suffering from chikungunya and dengue, including senior faculty members and resident doctors. While a few of them are admitted to hospital, many are on leave and undergoing treatment at home as the dengue wards are flooded with patients and there is no space, A.K. Rai, Medical Superintendent of Safdarjung Hospital, told IANS. Here is a 10 step guide for speedy recovery from dengue.

Among the hospitals whose doctors have fallen prey to chikungunya and dengue include Ganga Ram Hospital with 20 doctors suffering from chikungunya and dengue, while Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital has over 35 of its doctors suffering from the vector borne diseases. Medical Superintendent of City based Ambedkar Hospital Punita Mahajan said that 10 percent of the hospital doctors are suffering from fever, a major symptom of dengue and chikungunya.

Source: IANS

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