12 minors dead as outbreak of fever, dengue rocks UP’s Firozabad district

Mangalore Today News Network

Firozabad, Aug 30, 2021: An outbreak of viral fever and dengue in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district has claimed 12 lives, most of them minors, sparking public anger against the local administration.

 

While locals claim that there have been more than a dozen deaths in recent days, the health department, after conducting an inquiry, maintains that only eight deaths were due to viral fever and dengue.

But contrary to the government’s position, the ground reality is much different. India Today visited the villages of Nagla Aman and Kapavali in Firozabad district and found out that as many as 24 people died there in the last three days.

The villagers told India Today that people are dying due to the negligence of the health department. Had the district administration and health department been alert, many lives could have been saved, they said.
Of the 12 deaths that were reported on Saturday, the youngest deceased was 4 years old and the oldest was 17. But Firozabad CMO Dr Neeta Kulshrestha claimed that only eight deaths were reported. It is being ascertained whether they died of viral fever or dengue. The families of the deceased have expressed their pain to Sadar MLA Manish Asija.

Hindustani Biradari Vice-Chairman Vishal Sharma opined that it appears the entire focus of Braj’s health department rests only on Covid-19, whereas authorities should keep an eye on every disease. When the number of patients with high fever and dengue started increasing, then the focus should have shifted to these diseases as well.

“If the health department had been alert, many deaths could have been avoided. Districts like Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Mainpuri, Etah, Kasganj come in the Braj region. The Health Department should be alert in all these districts,” said Vishal Sharma. He added that volunteers of Hindustani Biradari have been engaged to help patients suffering from fever.

Courtesy:India Today