‘A thousand cases out of 1.3-crore is not alarming’
Swati Kher
The city with Shanghai ambitions has been plagued with diseases since May. Through the monsoons, mosquito-borne diseases hit Mumbaiites hard with two dengue deaths. In September, the city had the dubious distinction of registering two polio cases despite two years of pulse polio campaigns. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Health Department has been in the line of fire for the city’s ailing health. Dr Jayaraj Thanekar, BMC’s executive health officer, talks to Swatee Kher about it.
There were two cases of polio after a gap of two years. Where did the BMC fail and what steps are being taken?
We anticipated a problem about six months ago, when a lot of polio cases were being reported from Uttar Pradesh, because of the high rate of migration from UP to Mumbai. A team of sixteen people has been formed to monitor the situation, including members of the WHO team which monitors acute flaccid paralysis and polio in the country, UNICEF members and BMC doctors.
Why are so many cases of mosquito-realted diseases being reported this month?
The monsoons have been peculiar this year. Normally, the number of cases of malaria, dengue and leptospirosis decrease after the rains recede. This year, the rains have continued intermittently. Moreover, the public awareness level about these diseases is quite low. People go to chemists, private practitioners and quacks. Patients can be monitored properly at hospitals but by the time they are admitted, they have already reached a critical stage. Also, if a thousand cases of such diseases are reported from a total population of 1.3 crore people, that is not really alarming.
What were the main reasons for so many malaria and dengue cases?
The aedes mosquito, which causes dengue and fever, breeds in stagnant water. It is not possible for the health department officers to go to each highrise building daily to clean their over-head water tanks. The residents need to ensure that water does not collect in the overhead tanks. Moreover, the large-scale construction activity in the city has been a problem.
How will you tackle the cholera and gastroentertitis cases reported in the past two weeks?
People tend to eat out during the festive season. Usually, the mava used to make Diwali sweets comes from Gujarat. The supply is low this year because of the floods there. Hence, the mava will be made locally and is less likely to be dated or contaminated. So there shouldn’t be a problem.
Because of the short-staffed health department, patients visit private practitioners, some of whom may be under-qualified or quacks. How do you plan to deal with this?
BMC, with the help of police, will take action against these quacks by the end of this month. Also, we are in the process of recruiting people and will soon overcome the present staff crunch.
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