Firozabad viral fever: CM Yogi orders action against lax officials as death toll hits 51

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday ordered strict action against officials of the health and urban development departments, who were found negligent in discharging their duties in Firozabad district where dengue and viral fever claimed over 50 lives.

The UP Chief Minister held a meeting with concerned officials and directed that teams of specialists from Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, and King George’s Medical University in Lucknow be sent to Firozabad, Agra, and Mathura in light of the outbreak.

The teams will guide local doctors and will oversee the treatment of patients admitted there. As many as 105 patients with dengue and viral fever were admitted on Sunday to the government medical college in Firozabad, where the diseases have claimed 51 lives so far.

“In Firozabad, some officers of the health and urban development departments have been found lax in discharging their duties. It should be examined and action should be initiated against guilty officers," the CM Yogi said during the meeting, according to an official statement.

He also issued directions for the arrangement of additional beds, doctors, paramedical staff, medicines, testing equipment, etc in Firozabad for the prevention of dengue and other viral diseases.

The principal of Firozabad medical college, Dr. Sangeeta Aneja, said, "Today, 105 new patients of dengue and viral fever were admitted while 60 people recovered.” As of now, 447 patients are admitted to various wards, she said.

Dengue outbreak in UP kills 51 including children

On Thursday, District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh suspended three doctors with immediate effect on charges of negligence and warned government doctors of strict action for any laxity in treating the patients. The suspended doctors are Girish Srivastava of Primary Health Centre of Salai in Firozabad, Ruchi Srivastava, a public health expert, and Saurav.

On Wednesday, Firozabad’s Chief Medical Officer Neeta Kulshresth was sacked following the spate of deaths, mostly children, since August 18 due to the viral fever and suspected cases of dengue. The chief minister had visited the district on August 30 to take stock of the situation. Some cases have been found in neighbouring Mathura, Agra, and Mainpuri, according to officials. 

(With inputs from agency)