Delhi L-G Najeeb Jung visits hospitals as capital reels under chikungunya onslaught

New Delhi: Lt Governor Najeeb Jung on Sunday visited several hospitals across the city to take stock of their preparedness in dealing with the rising number of chikungunya and dengue cases in the national capital, and stressed on “special attention” to the elderly. His visit came a day after the AAP government accused him of adopting a “casual approach” in dealing with the health crisis in the city. [caption id=“attachment_2955940” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Najeeb Jung. Reuters[/caption] Delhi is reeling under the viral onslaught of chikungunya and dengue, which have claimed at least 33 lives and affected over 2,800 people. Jung, accompanied by Delhi Secretary Chandrakar Bharti and other top officials, visited fever clinics, laboratories at Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital, Bara Hindu Rao Hospital and GTB Hospital. The team interacted with patients, doctors, medical superintendents, staff and other visitors to assess the situation. “He instructed the medical superintendents and doctors to ensure that patients with complications, particularly those who are elderly, should be attended to with greater care,” a statement from the Raj Niwas said. Jung also directed Delhi health secretary to help provide additional doctors, if required, seeing the surge of patients on Sunday. The AAP government and the Lt Governor had a standoff on Saturday after Health Minister Satyendar Jain and Water Minister Kapil Mishra went to meet the LG at his office to discuss the health crisis, but could not meet him as he was not present in his office. While Jain questioned why Jung did not cut short his US visit “even by one hour”, the LG’s office accused the AAP government of “politicising the issue” when the city was grappling with the health crisis. Among the 15 fatalities reported this season due to chikungunya complications, most of the victims were elderly with comorbid conditions like hypertension, kidney or other health problems. Medical Superintendent of LNJP Hospital, JC Passey informed the Lt Governor that out of 200 beds dedicated for dengue and chikungunya patients, 76 were occupied. “Most patients come to Lok Nayak from central Delhi with 10 percent of the patients being from adjacent states such as Uttar Pradesh,” he said. “He also told the Lt Governor that apart from one death last month, there have been no fatality and that chikungunya patients do not always require hospitalisation. The MS also said as per the data collected by them, the ratio of chikungunya and dengue patients this year was 4:1,” the statement said. Ajit Goel, the Medical Superintendent of Bara Hindu Rao, informed Jung that the fever clinics were operational 24 hrs and approximately 1,000 patients visited them every day. So far we have had 163 chikungunya, 72 malaria and 50 dengue cases in the hospital, he said. A 22-year-old girl had died of cardiac arrest triggered by chikungunya complications at the hospital, run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, on 1 September.