No Private Hospital in Haryana can Declare a Patient as Having Dengue: Minister Vij

In a bid to prevent private hospitals from spreading dengue scare, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij has said that private hospitals in Haryana cannot declare a patient as having dengue until that person's blood sample tests conducted at any government-run hospital confirm it to be positive. Vij said, "Few private hospitals in Haryana were confirming dengue fever on the basis of reports based on their own lab tests. There have been reports that a few private hospitals are spreading dengue scare to earn more from patients suffering from simple viral fever. The state government would soon issue a notification following which no private hospital would be allowed to claim a person to be dengue patient until it was confirmed by civil hospital test reports."

After a meeting with senior administrative and health officials, the minister said, "The hospitals, some of them well-known, were reportedly treating normal viral fever patients for dengue to make money. Platelets treatment costs at least Rs. 70,000 per patient."

Vij further added, "Gurgaon district administration has prepared a list of volunteers, who are ready to donate blood and their list is available on the website of district administration-www.gurgaon.gov.in, which gives the names of registered donors with their mobile numbers, blood group, addresses. One could easily see whether donor of any group was available or not. One could also register himself or herself as donor by clicking on 'drive against dengue' on this website."

The minister also directed Gurgaon civil surgeon to follow the medical reports of dengue patients being treated at private hospitals and check if patient recovered well, if not, where such patients were referred. Vij said, "Over 750 samples were taken for tests in civil hospital in Gurgaon, of which 25 reported positive for dengue."

More than 200 patients are being treated for dengue, while over 2,000 are suspected of having dengue, in various private hospitals in Gurgaon.

Source-IANS