New Delhi:
Sixteen-year-old Antara Dasgupta tested positive for dengue earlier this month. When her blood platelets dropped to a dangerous level, her family tried to get her admitted to one of Delhi's government hospitals that are supposed to be dengue-ready. But "I went to AIIMS and they told me we can't admit you because we don't have beds for dengue patients. I had no choice but to return home," says Antara.
The Delhi government claims that's not true. In fact, it says there's no shortage of facilities for dengue patients because there are far fewer dengue cases this year as compared to last year: one-fifth, in fact.
The big problem with that picture, according to private clinics and laboratories, is that the government is taking into account only the cases reported at government hospitals. "We have 150 patients; a dozen are confirmed cases of dengue. Resources are stretched," says Dr. Navin Dang, of the famous Dr. Dang's Laboratory. Dr S Kundu, a South Delhi private practitioner, says he alone has attended to about 400 cases
Private clinics point out that till the government confronts the facts of how serious the situation really is, Delhi is more vulnerable to dengue than it should be.