Dengue Cases Surge in Karnal: MLA Jagmohan Anand Addresses Vacant Medical Posts
Karnal MLA Jagmohan Anand holds a meeting with health officials to address the surge in dengue cases and fill key vacant medical positions.
Karnal MLA Jagmohan Anand Addresses Dengue Surge and Vacant Medical Posts Amid Rising Cases
With Karnal witnessing a dengue cases surge, MLA Jagmohan Anand met health department officials on Wednesday to discuss the issue and vacant medical posts in the district. It touched upon the response by the district administration towards the rise in dengue cases, as many as 327 have been reported officially so far. Despite the large number of cases reported, health officials claim that there is no report of fatalities due to dengue this year in Karnal. However, unofficial reports claim that the number may actually be much higher.
Several people report to have been receiving treatments suffering of dengue in private hospitals and laboratories that frequently do not report the cases to the government health authorities despite repeated requests, claims sources. This reporting gap complicates efforts by health authorities to maintain an accurate record of infections and makes identification of dengue hotspots troublesome. Four to five areas in Karnal are reported to have become red zones.
The residents also talk about poor sanitation and civic services regarding dengue cases surge, which they feel is a factor behind the rise in dengue. A homemaker from Karnal, Soniya Sharma narrates how she was diagnosed with dengue last week. She had to spend three days in a hospital as her platelet count dropped sharply. “If the area is so dirty, one wonders whose responsibility it is,” said Soniya, who felt helpless over the situation at her neighborhood.
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I cannot say where I got the infection, for I was at home preparing for Diwali,” said Soniya. “There is no daily cleaning of the roads in our area. Garbage is piling up in the adjacent park and stagnant water is there, which allows mosquitoes a perfect breeding ground.
Aditya Bhardwaj, a skill trainer whose wife too had caught dengue last month, agrees. “We’re still clueless about how my wife got infected,” he said. “The civic amenities in our locality are lacking. We have no choice but to pay private individuals to collect garbage and clean drains, as the municipal services are unreliable.”
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Aggravating the administrative maladies at the district health department was also brought into focus during the meeting chaired by MLA Jagmohan Anand. Top posts in the department, including Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Principal Medical Officer (PMO) have been lying vacant for several months, severely affecting the efficacious management of health services by the district administration.
This post has been lying vacant since August 6, when the previous chief medical officer, Dr. Krishan Kumar, was promoted and later went on to become a BJP MLA from the Bawal constituency in Rewari. Similarly, the post of PMO at Karnal’s district civil hospital has been under-utilized since the retirement of Dr. Sanjeev Grover on 31 March. While temporary appointments have indeed been made — like Kaithal civil surgeon, Dr. Renu Chawla, has been given additional charge of Karnal and the senior-most medical officer, Dr. Balwan Singh, handed the PMO responsibilities- permanent appointments are yet to be made.
Jagmohan Anand, during the meeting emphasized that seats vacant from above be filled since the district is under the grip of public health crisis. He assured that comprehensive measures will be taken so the spread of dengue should not escalate further. Health officials have been told to be on high alert and ensure all the necessary action was initiated.
Anand added, “The vacant posts of CMO and PMO, which are the main issues, will be taken up also by the Chief Minister Nayab Saini, who is coming to visit Karnal during Chhath Puja celebrations. The MLA will talk to him about the administrative gaps in the district headquarters and about the pressing need for getting appointments for key positions in the health department.”.
As Karnal reels under the dengue outburst, administrative vacancies and poor civic services add fuel to this fire. Citizens expect prompt actions from health officials as well as local bodies to check the outbreak and restore essential health and sanitation services in the district. The MLA’s meeting is a good initiative, but it reminds us that the state needs permanent solutions to avoid such an eventuality and ensure public health and hygiene in the district.
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