This Article is From Sep 19, 2015

Patients Wait For Treatment As Dengue Rush Swamps Delhi Hospitals

Surgical wards have now been completely changed into Dengue wards.

New Delhi: The 55-year-old Ramesh Pandey, who came all the way from Bihar's Chhapra district for the Hernia treatment in Delhi four days ago, is still waiting for his surgery due to the high number of dengue patients pouring in at the hospital.  

Shani Pandey, his son, said: "There is delay due to dengue cases, so many patients are admitted here every day for dengue. I can't figure out in how many days it (surgery) will happen. At the moment all wards are full."  

Ramesh Pandey took ten days' leave from work and came to Delhi for his surgery at this state -run hospital.

Meanwhile, another patient Raju Yadav, who underwent a surgery for a blood clot and is in post-operative care, said he can't blame hospitals for turning away patients when the governments have been sleeping all along.

"There is a lot of pressure on hospitals because of dengue, not enough beds. Two or three patients are sharing bed, doctors come and look at us, but what can they do?  Government has not made enough space or hospitals earlier, now it wants miracles."

Mr Yadav got a date for the surgery two months after he first came here and then there was rush of dengue patients.

However, the government has shifted the onus on Delhi hospitals. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday had said: "200 beds will be ready. Available doctors and nurses will be here for two/three months at least."

Surgical wards have now been completely changed into Dengue wards.

Hospital officials who don't want to be quoted at this state run hospital said the government has not provided enough testing kits. Increasing number of beds is not the only solution, it will put pressure on other resources like water, toilets and medicines, they added.
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