Hyderabad, 19th September 2019: The Futuristic Cities hosted, India Infrastructure dialogue on ‘How Can Hyderabad DEFEAT DENGUE?’, was chaired by Ms Karuna Gopal, President, Futuristic Cities; today at Institution of Engineers, Khairatabad. The high powered panel at the Roundtable comprised of Dr Vasant Kumar, MD, Sr Consultant, Apollo Hospitals & Vice President, Research Society for Diabetes India (RSSDI) New Delhi & Chairman Telangana chapter of RSSDI; Dr Srinivasa Rao, Member Central council for Research in Homeopathy, Min. of Ayush, Govt of India; Dr Rameswara Rao, Chairman, Institution of Engineers, India; Er T. Anjaiah, Secretary, , Institution of Engineers, India; Dr Saxena, MD, Environmental Medicine, Practices Integrated Medicine; Dr Vijayalakshmi, Sr Gynecologist; Dr Laxmi Lavanya, American Institute of Diabetes & Endocrinology; Dr Vasuprada Kartic, Mental Health Expert; Dr Vijayanand Jamalpuri, Extensive experience in Dengue Awareness and Treatment; Dr Madhumohan Reddy, MD, Chairman, Wellness Hospital; Dr Venugopal Gowri, Sr. Homeopath – Secretary, Homeopathic Medical association, Telangana and others.
In her Inaugural speech Ms Karuna Gopal, President Futuristic Cities & Chairperson of the Roundtable said “I am surprised that when lakhs of citizens of Hyderabad are sufering from Dengue and viral fevers the Government of Telangana has not declared a MEDICAL EMERCENCY!
If the Government today carries out a “DENGUE & VIRAL CENSUS” of the population of Telangana, every house will have a victim. And if this not emergency what is?”
Defeating DENGUE has two dimensions – Governments Responsibility is to do with Preventive Protocols and Medical & Healthcare Systems is Curative / palliative measures.
But it seems that the entire burden is shifted on to doctors and the medical system. Hospitals both government and Private are over burdened with the responsibility of managing this Epidemic.
“The ONUS / RESPONSIBILITY / BURDEN has totally been shifted to the Medical fraternity that is struggling to take the load. It is the doctors who are being blamed for Dengue Deaths. There have been violent attacks on doctors. Hospitals are being vandalized by patients and I was given to understand that the government is controlling private hospitals from sharing data on the disease“.
The Govt of Telangana has completely abdicated its responsibility and pushed everything on the fragile, ill equipped, badly aided public healthcare system.”
VERY SOON, this EPIDEMIC will reach EPIC proportions and the state will come to a stand still.
Telangana Government has not done the following
Govt / City authorities and medical fraternity should have done the following
· Hyderabad is being TOUTED and promoted as a GLOBAL CITY but the administrative apparatus is anything but world class. There are Preventive Protocols advised Internationally, Multi sectoral approach and the ‘Whole of Government‘ approach adopted at DHAKA Declaration in 2014. Not just a few siloed actions but the entire Government has to be mobilized. Telangana has not done it
· Prevention – across the world just before monsoon, cities have to fill pot holes, the Govt has to carry out ‘larvicidal‘ treatment killing larvae breeding ground called HOTSPOTS or larvae breeding ground.
· But KTR was interested only in WIFI HOTSPOTS. Infact it’s the so called Hitech city that more cases of dengue and more potholes and more construction debris
· Ensure roads are not flooded which means the city should have drainage – Hyderabad needs 450 km of storm water drains
· Ensure lakes are cleaned properly but all lakes are polluted attracting STPs for cleaning sewer water before it enters the water bodies. Hyderabad has Just 18 in number and half are defunct. We need at least 150!.
· Rapid Urbanization(mindless) is allowed. We were just 174 Sqkm, now we are 740 sq km – Construction sites (Mosquitoes).
· Water supply – Hyderabad has 162 lpcd(liters per capita per day) but we still have intermittent supply. With that amount we can give 24 hour supply and people don’t have to store water breeding mosquitoes people are forced to fill water and store in buckets vessels that later become breeding grounds of mosquitoes
· TREE COVER – Dengue is directly linked to increasing temperatures. The city lost its tree cover substantially.
· Misplaced priorities in investments – Kaleswaram and Mission Bhageeratha have cost the Govt 10,000 crores in electricity charges
A fraction of that should have been used in fogging and prevention of mosquito breeding
· Solid waste Management – Swachhta Survey. Hyderabad fell from 17th rank to 35th Solid waste management is so poor our dumpyards are the most polluting with just capping been done.
Hyderabad is touted as a Knowledge and a IT hub. These human resources today are under threat and so is the economy of the state.
Quantum of Problem – No data no statistics no scientific assessment of problem, economic loss to individuals and to the city, dengue with pregnancy dengue with cardiovascular problems has NOT been understood.
Govt HEALTHCARE system is in shambles and I believe that this will escalate into unmageable proportions leading to variants much powerful. Dengue – SWINE FLU transition is already seen and its much worse as it’s a droplet infection.
“Soon we will see a a BRAZIL in ADDAGUTTA slum, A NiCARAGUA in Singareni colony slum
HYDERABAD was NEVER on the DENGUE map of India – there was Madras, Kolkatta, Lucknow, Delhi for decades. Hyderabad could have been proactive in preventing the epidemic. Its manmade disaster – I would say government made disaster
The government seems to have neither conscience nor VISION!
