The rise in cases of dengue due to rampant mosquito breeding in Hyderabad and elsewhere has not only caused grief but also put families, at least middle and lower middle class families, back by years. It’s not just health complications, families who have experienced the trauma of seeing a member get sick due to dengue had to contend with heavy financial burden.
Typically, corporate hospitals charge anywhere between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15,000 for platelet separation, which are needed for transfusion among dengue patients. If a patient undergoes transfusion four times, then the family shells out at least Rs. 40,000 towards procurement of platelets. This is in addition to drugs and patient’s stay in the hospital, which usually hovers between five days and a week.
“We have spent close to Rs. 1.75 lakh for treating my 13-year-old daughter in a corporate hospital. A friend of mine had to spend Rs. 2 lakh, which also included four platelet transfusions. Whose fault is it? Will municipal bodies or the State Government take responsibility for our misery?” says 38-year-old Pratibha, a resident of Kothapet, whose daughter was treated for dengue. Depending on severity, it would cost between Rs. 75,000 and Rs.2 lakh or even more in private hospitals for treating patients.
“There is no shortage of blood but the platelets need to be separated or processed, which is charged. Since the costs of platelets are not being regulated, private hospitals are free to charge their own price. However, minimum cost to process blood platelets is Rs. 10,000 and above,” doctors familiar with the issue explain.
While this being the case, patients with dengue have continued to get admitted to various hospitals in Hyderabad. Between this January and October, the total number of dengue cases reported in Hyderabad was close to 300. Interestingly, in just three months, between August and October, total number of positive dengue cases was 250.
Doctors maintained that precautions at individual level were very important. “Taking precautions from mosquito bites and not allowing water to stagnate for long time are two major precautions public have to take. The ailment should be immediately detected because if left untreated, condition of patients quickly deteriorates,” says Fever Hospital Superintendent Dr. K. Shankar.
Meanwhile, district health officials have said that the situation is under control. “If you compare Hyderabad with metro cities like New Delhi, we are far ahead in controlling dengue. However, for swine flu, malaria, viral fevers and dengue, the important thing is keeping ourselves, our home and surroundings clean,” suggests DM&HO P. Venkateshwar Rao.
