The official toll of dengue in the Indian capital stood at 32, municipal authorities admitted, but the unofficial deaths confirmed by hospitals stood at 85.

"The attending doctor did not take the matter seriously, he claims. "I had severe allergy on my palms which were symptoms of dengue," Sharma added.
"On my fourth visit to the hospital, one of the doctors advised me to do some tests. The results came in and I was diagnosed with dengue but by then, I was severely affected with the deadly disease," he pointed out.
Patients feel that the dengue treatment at government hospitals is mediocre when compared to private clinics. The casual attitude and callousness on the part of some doctors in government health centers - especially in the rural areas - make matters worse.
"Unlike city dwellers, we do not have access to the cutting-edge healthcare. We cannot afford to travel to urban areas for treatment or go for expensive tests. Most of the time, we leave the fate of the dengue patients to god," narrated a farmer from a remote village in Uttar Pradesh.
People in the remote areas do not even have basic information about the symptoms of this disease.
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Last year Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a nationwide cleanliness campaign or Swachh Bharat Mission. "But it should not become a mere PR exercise. The state and the people should be practical and strive together to defeat this deadly disease," Kucheria added.
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The official toll of dengue in the capital stood at 32, but the unofficial deaths confirmed by various hospitals stood at 85. The first dengue-related death in the capital was recorded on August 5.
Source-IANS