PMC taking it lightly despite outbreak of typhoid: Activists

According to officials, Sadanand Nagar building has over 600 houses located in close vicinity of KNH

Despite an outbreak of typhoid in Sadanand Nagar building, Mangalwar Peth, the health department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is taking the matter lightly, according to activists. While a large number of residents from the building are complaining of typhoid-like symptoms, they are being referred to other hospitals or being treated as patients with normal fever upon visiting the Kamala Nehru Hospital (KNH), activists claim.

A 12-year-old girl who on Thursday tested positive for typhoid (with severe symptoms) has been referred to Sassoon General Hospital (SGH). (HT PHOTO)

According to officials, Sadanand Nagar building has over 600 houses located in close vicinity of KNH. Between June 15 and June 20, as many as 20 children in the age group of two to 11 years (19 from Sadanand Nagar and one from Kondhwa) were admitted to the paediatric ward of KNH. Of the 20 children admitted to KNH, 11 tested positive for typhoid while eight tested negative for typhoid through the Widal test even as the report of one patient is awaited. A 12-year-old girl who on Thursday tested positive for typhoid (with severe symptoms) has been referred to Sassoon General Hospital (SGH). However, the Widal test is not the best test and the blood culture tests will determine the reason why these children, despite testing negative for typhoid, have recurrent and persistent high-grade fever.

Typhoid is a life-threatening infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. It is usually spread through contaminated food or water. Once the Salmonella Typhi bacteria are ingested, they multiply and spread through the bloodstream. Amongst these children, the blood culture reports have confirmed the presence of Salmonella Typhi bacteria, said officials.

A senior PMC official who visited Sadanand Nagar said that entire families are showing symptoms of prolonged fever, fatigue, headache, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. “The symptoms have been reported in a large number of people of all ages residing in the affected building. However, the health officials are not testing the adults from this building. The adults are being referred to Sassoon Hospital or being given treatment on an outpatient (OPD) basis,” said an official on the condition of anonymity.

A resident of the building whose daughter tested positive for typhoid on condition of anonymity said, “Everyone in our house is unwell starting from the elderly to the children. We all have symptoms such as stomach ache, nausea, fatigue and persistent fever. However, when we visited KNH, doctors at the hospital just gave us a few medicines and told us our health would improve.”

Health activist Dr Abhijit More said, “Anyone coming to the hospital with similar symptoms from the area that has reported an outbreak should be admitted and tested. The hospital simply cannot treat the patients on an OPD basis as this might increase the transmission of disease. Door-to-door screening of the entire population is expected to be carried out in case of a typhoid outbreak and contaminated water sources must be eliminated.”

Dr Suryakant Devkar, assistant health officer of the PMC, said, “The instructions will be issued to the ward medical officers to set up a field hospital at the location. The patients with typhoid symptoms will be tested and admitted to the hospital. Patients with mild symptoms will be treated on an OPD basis.”

About KNH referring patients to other facilities, Dr Devkar said, “I will look into the issue.”