Casualty figure at Hindu Rao Hospital soars with mercury

The last victim was 72-year-old Kamla Bai. At 5.30 pm on Sunday,she succumbed to severe dehydration in the hospital’s Ward 15. “We have a fan and a cooler,but there was no electricity for over an hour in the ward. She did not drink enough water and it worsened her condition,” said Manju,her daughter-in-law,a resident of Rajouri Garden.

The hospital’s Public Information Officer,Dr Madhu Jain,said most patients coming in these days are suffering from dehydration.

A look at the register shows how the heat wave has affected the casualties. There were 12 deaths in the hospital on Wednesday,five on the Thursday and 14 on Friday. Between Saturday midnight and Sunday afternoon,there were 30.

Medical Superintendent Dr P P Singh said like most areas in the Capital,the hospital has been experiencing water and power shortage. “We usually call in tankers. But the heat does affect the patients,” said Dr Singh. According to him,nearly 150 patients are being admitted daily with summer ailments — heat stroke,dehydration and gastroenteritis.

“It does not surprise me that the mortality rates have shot up,” said a doctor on duty. “There is no ventilation,no cool drinking water and though some areas have coolers,we do not have water for them. The fans are barely effective.

The condition of patients with cardiac problems or diabetes worsens in such oppressive heat.”