With temperatures going south, Amdavadis can now enjoy a cool breeze, at least in the evenings. However vector-borne diseases, especially dengue, are still on the prowl here. The city witnessed hospitalisation of 20 patients suffering from dengue in various municipal and private hospitals in Ahmedabad on Friday alone. Physicians from the city expect the number of dengue cases to go down by next month.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC’s) efforts to control mosquito breeding in various parts of the city do not seem to be yielding any results. The civic body collects data of five major diseases – malaria, dengue, typhoid, cholera and jaundice – from five municipal and over 165 private hospitals. However, this only comprises data of patients admitted to the hospitals. The civic body does not keep any record of outdoor patients even at municipal hospitals.
Vector-borne diseases, especially dengue, are still rampant in the city. So far, more than 300 dengue-afflicted patients have been hospitalised here.
“Dengue cases are comparatively on the higher side. If you visit any clinic of a reputed doctor in the city, you will find a couple of cases of dengue every day,” said Dr Jashwant Darbar, a family physician from Maninagar.
Physicians believe that the number of dengue cases will start reducing with further decrease in temperature. Incidence of vector-borne diseases, in general, goes down in winter.
“We have just started witnessing a change in temperature, and it will take some more time to see a significant difference in the number of dengue cases,” said Dr Vasant Patel of Dhwani General Hospital in Odhav.
Meanwhile, the government authorities had convened a meeting with Ahmedabad Medical Association last week to create awareness about swine flu, CCHF, malaria and dengue.
“The government wanted to create awareness among the medical fraternity about changing patterns of malaria and dengue. Moreover, they have appealed to the doctors to follow guidelines issued by the government in this regard,” said Dr Pragnesh Vaccharajani, president of Ahmedabad Medical Association.
