NEW DELHI: With no foolproof mechanism in place to ensure that all dengue cases being reported in nursing homes and private hospitals in the city are registered with the State health department, medical practitioners in the capital say there is under-reporting of the number of dengue cases.

"Dengue patients have been trickling into the city since August and had proper data collection and surveillance been in place it would have warned the health department of the problem at hand. Under the Government order, only confirmed dengue positive cases are to be reported to the health department.

``However, what happens in most cases is that patients' platelet count is done and then a dengue serology test (IGE) is carried out that only gives an indication of the patient being dengue positive," said a senior doctor.

More tests required

"In this case the risk that you run is the fact that even if you have had dengue sometime ago the test will be positive. Technically more tests are required to ensure to call the patient `confirmed' dengue positive. Some private establishments would treat him but may not inform the health department about the same. It is not an uncommon practice," he explained.

On what needs to be done, the doctor said: "The Government has to understand that the diagnostic facilities available in the city are not up to the mark and the fact that dengue tests are expensive adds as a deterrent. Most people want to be treated for symptomatic relief and private hospitals provide the same and then carry on treatment from there on."

Understanding the need for ensuring strict surveillance to pin point areas of "high-risk" in the city and the need for accurate data collection, Municipal Corporation of Delhi Health Department head N. K. Yadav said: "Dengue is a notifiable disease and we had sent notices to all city hospitals, followed by reminders to ensure that dengue positive cases are reported.

``As far as we are aware all hospitals, both government and private, are complying with the orders."

But Indian Medical Association general secretary Vinay Aggarwal said: "This may not necessarily be true and we suspect that there is under-reporting of the disease.

We are aware that the ground reality is that private hospitals and small medical establishments may not necessarily report all cases and often treat patients as `suspect' dengue cases."

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