Pune civic body writes to private hospitals, labs to notify cases of vector-borne diseases

The delay on the part of private doctors and labs in reporting such cases leads to delays in containment activities and may lead to disease outbreaks, said the officials

With the city reporting a surge in waterborne and vector-borne disease cases since the onset of the monsoon, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health department on Thursday issued a letter to all private practitioners, hospitals and laboratories within its ambit to report cases on priority.

Fumigation for dengue prevention being conducted by PMC in the city limits. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The delay on the part of private doctors and labs in reporting such cases leads to delays in containment activities and may lead to disease outbreaks, said the officials.

The civic body has recorded three cases of Zika virus and over twelve cases of typhoid in the last one week. While PMC has not yet reported a confirmed dengue case this month.

Dr Kalpana Baliwant, health officer of PMC, said, delay in reporting the cases can lead to further outbreak and spread of the diseases.

“If there is a delay in notification, there is a delay in containment activity and surveillance. During this delay period, there is the possibility that vector-borne diseases can cause an outbreak. In the absence of notification, the cases remain unreported, and the authorities are unaware of the grassroots situation in the city,” she said.

The PMC in the letter stated the hospitals, diagnostic centres and laboratories should inform PMC—name, address, and contact number of vector-borne diseases patients detected with dengue, chikungunya and malaria.

As per the state government rules these diseases are notifiable and it is mandatory to notify the local body. The private establishments can notify PMC about these cases on pmckitak@gmail.com daily in the morning, read the letter.