Dengue, TB cases on a rise in Mumbai, reveals NGO's study

Praja Foundation, an NGO and a watchdog of civic affairs, on Wednesday said dengue cases have seen a massive rise of 265 percent in Mumbai in the last five years.

Dengue cases have spiralled from 4,867 in 2012-13 to 17,771 in 2016-17, the NGO said.

Issuing a white paper on health, today, the NGO said, "As per the RTI data, dengue cases in government hospitals, dispensaries have increased from 4,867 in 2012-13 to 17,771 in 2016-17. Besides, tuberculosis (TB) cases have also seen a rise from 36,417 in 2012-13 to 50,001 in 2016-17."

Milind Mhaske, project director of Praja Foundation, said, "Nearly 18 people are estimated to have died each day from TB in 2016-17."

"However, DOTS, the flagship government programme to tackle TB, saw a dramatic drop in enrolment, decreasing from 30,828 patients in 2012 to 15,767 patients in 2016," he said.

"Astonishingly, municipal councillors asked only 45 questions in the past five years on TB, compared to 68 questions on naming, renaming of hospitals, cemeteries in the same period," he said.

Commenting on the findings, Mhaske added, "The continuing increase in cases of major diseases such as these indicates that various authorities in Mumbai have much to worry about. We have a long way to go towards achieving goals of sustainable development."

Every year, Praja commissions a household survey to Hansa Research to incorporate health related perspectives of citizens. This year, the survey was conducted with over 20,000 households.

"The BMC needs to step out of denial mode and tackle the ongoing health crisis head on. The same goes for other governmental authorities, who must step up to the challenge and ensure a healthier city," Shivali Bagayatkar, project officer at Praja Foundation, said.