Punjab has witnessed a sharp rise in febrile disease cases over the past four and a half months, with the situation further intensified by the ongoing heatwave. According to officials, more than 5,840 cases have been treated under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana in the last four months. The authorities have so far spent over ₹1.31 crore for the treatment of these cases.
Fresh data from the State Health Agency (SHA), Punjab, also reveal a significant number of water-borne disease cases being reported from the state.
The data further shows that nearly 1,396 registrations were made for enteric fever, with claims worth ₹30.47 lakh.
Pneumonia was the second most prominent disease, with 377 cases for which the state released ₹11.06 lakh, while acute bronchitis was recorded in 326 cases, costing over ₹9.24 lakh.
Moreover, 12 dengue cases costing the state treasury ₹40,880, along with six chikungunya and three malaria cases, were reported. As many as four persons were hospitalised due to heat stroke.
According to health officials, extreme heat leads to a rise in acute febrile illnesses, including vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches, respiratory infections, and skin or eye allergies.
The situation is often worsened when people delay seeking medical consultation due to the hot weather.
Authorities have warned that young children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable during periods of extreme heat and humidity. State health authorities have urged people to rush to hospitals in case infants or underage children develop any symptoms linked to febrile diseases.
The data also show that Punjab government's flagship healthcare initiative has delivered free treatment worth ₹465.36 crore to beneficiaries within three months of its launch.
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