Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Oct 18: Stung by deadly Dengue, the Health authorities are finding it difficult to deal with the increasing number of the patients suffering from the serious ailment and take on the parasite owing to paucity of staff and equipments.
Inadequate number of kits and Alisa Reader for automated Denue tests is resulting into delayed reports thus forcing the patients to either keep waiting or move to private clinics outside the State for treatment.
For the entire Jammu division, Alisa test for Dengue is being conducted only at Government Medical College Jammu where more than 200 samples are collected daily from different hospitals across Jammu. The huge magnitude of samples and limited capacity of conducting tests owing to inadequate equipments and staff shortage is resulting into the backlog, sources informed the Excelsior.
The situation can be gauged from the fact that Alisa report of the samples collected from Samba and Kathua, where the intensity of Dengue cases is maximum, are getting delayed for more than a week, sources added.
Pertinent to mention that the Government has banned rapid investigation for the Dengue cases notwithstanding WHO approved kit for the same.
According to Dr Bela Mahajan, Head of the Microbiology Department in GMC Jammu, around 150 Alisa tests are being conducted daily notwithstanding the engagement of more than one third staff exclusively for the purpose.
Similarly, the vital equipment used for converting blood into blood platelets and the Incubator for storing the same from five to six days, is available only at SMGS Hospital and private ASCOMS.
It also needs mention that in Dengue fever, blood platelets fall abruptly in the patient who needs to be infused these platelets extracted from fresh blood with the help of this equipment.
Besides lack of equipments for testing and treatment of Dengue patients, there is acute shortage of filed staff for fogging and spray exercise in the danger areas.
The available field staff is left with no option other than to work overtime for fogging and spray operations, which had been suspended for the last few years in wake of decrease in the malaria incidents.
Notwithstanding manifold increase in the populations as well as inhabited areas in Jammu, the field staff strength in the Malaria Department has been decreasing since 1978, sources said.
Against the sanctioned posts of 51, there are only 20 Field Workers for Jammu Urban while the number of Superior Filed Workers is only six despite the sanctioned strength of 17, sources informed.
Same is the picture at Rural level where the staff has not been recruited since 1978.
However, when contacted, Director Health Jammu Dr Baljeet Singh Pathania said that all out efforts were made to contain the Dengue and there was no problem like shortage of staff.
So far more than 600 dengue cases have been tested positive in Jammu and its adjoining areas, particularly Samba and Kashmir.
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