The Health Ministry is hiding the real statistics of dengue. It says 80,000 dengue patients and 227 deaths had been reported from countrywide, but some other statistics say that the total number of dengue patients reported so far is over 86,000 with over 300 deaths.
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) requested an appointment from the President for a discussion, GMOA Secretary Dr.Haritha Aluthge said.
Addressing a press conference at the GMOA Head Quarters in Colombo yesterday he said at present 32 out every 10,000 dengue patients die. Dengue has become a real killer in Sri Lanka. There is no assurance that the total number of dengue patients will not exceed 150,000 by the end of December.
According to Dr. Aluthge, all GMOA member doctors are ready to come to the most affected areas and serve the dengue patients but the Health Ministry does not have a strategy to make use of this offer.
“The Health Ministry had sent back around Rs.6,000 million to the Treasury without utilising these funds while health staff working to to control the dengue menace do not even have adequate transportation or at least a cup of tea,”alleges Dr.Aluthge.
“Accommodating two or three dengue patients in one bed increases the risk posed to their health,” he said. Dr.Aluthge also accused the Health Ministry of carring out fumigation in a very unscientific manner and to just please the politicians.
“Health officials fool the Health Minister who should not fool the people by telling fairy tales about vegetarian mosquitoes, the GMOA Secretary added.