VASCO: Despite the officials of the Vasco Urban Health Centre claiming that the dreaded dengue is under control, the Cottage Hospital at Chicalim and other private clinics in the port town have reported an increase in the number of suspected dengue cases.
According to the records obtained from Cottage Hospital at Chicalim, in last one month (from August 16 to September 18), the hospital has received at least one suspected dengue case every second day of which around 10 such cases (four cases of children below 10 years) have been referred by them to Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim and seven patients are being treated at the hospital itself.
However, according to Vasco Urban Health Centre health officer Dr Rashmi Khandeparkar, the situation is not alarming and efforts have been made to control its spread.
“We have been taking all precautionary measures to keep dengue cases under control. Also we have been focussing in those areas where such cases have been reported and our team has been regularly taking up spraying and fogging operations in those wards where malaria or suspected dengue cases have been reported,” she told Herald.
According to the Health Department’s official figures, around 15 dengue cases are reported every month. However, the doctors from Vasco and those having their blood testing labs claim that the disease has been spreading at an alarming rate and there has been a “significant surge” in the number of cases reported.
“My grandson was affected with dengue fever and has been recovering now. Similarly, I have four other patients, who are under medication, thus I would say that cases are on the rise and patients have been recovering,” said Vaddem-based physician Dr Pedro Bravo D Costa.
Similarly, Dr Jayesh Savoikar, who runs a clinic in Vasco and a blood testing lab ‘City Diagnostic’, claimed that “Certainly there is steep rise in malaria and dengue cases on regular basis. I had received over seven dengue cases last month,” he informed.
Likewise, Dr Savoikar and D’Costa, many doctors from port town have confirmed to Herald that dengue is on the rise and it is high time that the health authorities besides the local bodies and political leaders should take serious steps in bringing dengue under control.
