Health Minister Satyendar Jain Tuesday said the AAP government was not able to get any work done as officials were “being threatened by the LG”.
“Delhi aaj LG bharose ya Modi bharose hai (Delhi is dependent on the LG or on Modi),” said Jain at a press conference Tuesday, soon after his return from Goa. He added that there was no need for people to panic about an “outbreak” of dengue and chikungunya in the capital. “Please don’t spread panic. Ninety five per cent of the cases of dengue and chikungunya don’t need hospitalisation… It is not possible for chikungunya to cause death.”
Citing a report by an “AIIMS Virologist” during a conference at his residence, Jain said there was “no medical proof” that the alleged “chikungunya death” being reported was correct. “As health minister, I am saying there is no medical reason for death due to chikungunya. The patient who died of dengue on Monday was from UP. He was in a critical condition when he came to Delhi for treatment. It has nothing to do with the spread of dengue in Delhi,” said Jain. Claiming that the LG had “deliberately paralysed work” in the city, Jain claimed Jung was being “supported by the opposition” in “taking revenge on the people of Delhi” as “they had got only three seats out of 70 in the elections”.
“Since August 8, all officers in Delhi are doing nothing except collecting files and sending them to the LG… This can affect work and create problems in hospitals,” said Jain. Following the press conference, Jain inspected Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital in Civil Lines, Hegdewar Hospital in Karkardooma, and Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in Kalyanpuri. He also met patients and doctors in the fever wards. The minister also alleged that the three MCDs had not done any cleaning in the city despite the outbreak.
However, in a press conference Tuesday, the MCDs hit out at the AAP government for not responding to requests to meet and discuss ways to battle the vector-borne diseases. Leader of House in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Subhash Arya said, “The corporations have requested the Health Minister for a meeting but there is no response from him. Meanwhile, so many cases of chikungunya are being reported in Delhi.”
The three MCD leaders said they have cancelled leave for all their health personnel and that they was no dearth of finances for implementing preventing measures.
Arya said, “Till September 10, fogging and fumigation was done at 15,09,238 houses and breeding checks were conducted at 2,93,36,318 houses. Of these, 1,21,524 houses were found positive for mosquito breeding. Legal notices were issued in 95,240 cases while 10,508 houses were issued prosecution slips.”
He added, “As many as 7,500 field workers and 900 supervisors have been working to keep the diseases at bay. It is wrong of the state government to make sensational charges. In every ward, at least four fogging machines have been put to regular use. The corporation has launched 12 mobile vans to provide treatment for fever, and suspected cases of dengue and chikungunya. The SDMC has also made arrangements with 33 hospitals and a few labs for free blood testing in cases referred by the corporation.”
