Uttar Pradesh: Quack continues to flourish in Firozabad, death toll reaches to 145

AGRA: Despite recent orders of chief minister Yogi Adityanath to take strict action against local quacks in Firozabad after the dengue outbreak, the 'illegal clinics' continue to operate freely in rural parts of the district. With no vacant beds at state hospitals, people are desperately looking for other options to treat their loved ones. Five more deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the toll in Firozabad alone to 145.Out of these, 108 were children.
Those with viral fever and dengue-like symptoms are treated on cots placed under trees and at homes.
A video of Usyani village under Tundla sub-division of Firozabad district went viral on social media on Monday. In the purported clip, two individuals can be seen lying on a cot under a tree and given intravenous fluids.
Local villager and farmer, Ranveer Singh, claimed, "In over 400 villages, a majority of the children are suffering from viral fever. Government hospitals are not admitting patients as all the beds are full. So, locals largely depend on quacks for treatment. We have no other option.”
In one of the findings of their investigation behind the increasing number of fatalities, the health department teams sent by the state government to Firozabad had stated that "initial treatment by quacks operating in slums and rural areas was a major reason".
"Patients were administered steroids. This provided initial relief, but multiplied the rate of falling platelets. Blood vomiting was common in such cases," it further stated.
Taking cognizance of the quack menace, the CM had ordered strict action. A day after the CM’s orders, eight quacks were booked under the Firozabad south police station on September 11. Their 'clinics' were sealed.
Additional director of the health department, AK Singh, said, “Quacks have been a huge issue in Firozabad. The initial treatment provided by them is resulting in patients coming to the government hospital in critical condition. Local authorities have been directed to ensure strict action against them. People are advised not to rely on unauthorised doctors and must consult with a government doctor. The number of beds at state hospitals are also being increased."
There are 64 active camps in the district and 5,000 people, including those with viral fever, are undergoing treatment there, CMO Dinesh Kumar Premi said. Sources also recently told TOI that at least 12,000 people in the district are estimated to be bedridden with fever at home or in private hospitals.
So far, more than 800 cases of dengue have been confirmed in Firozabad district. A few cases of malaria and scrub typhus have also been reported.