New Delhi:
Four more people succumbed to dengue in the capital, taking the death toll to 20, prompting the Delhi government to approve nearly 800 additional beds in 48 private hospitals as the city's health facilities crawled under heavy rush of patients affected by the disease.
Facing criticism for failing to control the situation, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reached out to the Opposition parties seeking their suggestion to deal with the crisis.
The latest victims of dengue included 11-year-old Mohammad and a 12-year-old girl Kiran Kumari. Apart from them, 17-year-old Rishabh, a resident of New Seemapuri in north-east Delhi, died at Max Super-Speciality hospital in Ghaziabad yesterday. His family alleged medical negligence and claimed they were charged exorbitant fees by the hospital.
Rishabh's uncle said he was treated in three different hospitals and all of them charged hefty amount. He alleged the Max hospital, where he died, refused to hand over the mortal remains as they demanded payment of Rs 80,000 but settled at Rs 18,000 after knowing that media was aware of it.
The hospital, however, said, "On request of the family, a significant amount was waived in view of their economic condition."
Mohammad, from Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, Kiran, a resident of Nangloi in Outer Delhi, and Rahisha (37), from Dwarka, died of dengue at RML hospital yesterday.
Mr Kejriwal inspected two East Delhi hospitals to take stock of dengue preparedness. He made rounds of Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital.
He opened 200 beds at the latter as part of the government's move to add 1,000 similar beds by Sunday.
"We are launching 200 beds at Rajiv Gandhi hospital today. For now, doctors and nurses from GTB Hospital will work here," he said. The government had yesterday set up another 200-bedded facility at an upcoming hospital in north-west Delhi.
As situation worsened, Delhi government decided to immediately increase 795 beds in 48 new private hospitals and nursing homes on a temporary basis by granting them provisional registration certificates for three months.