"Include Stray Dogs' Care In CSR": Says Dr Anoop Hajela President Of Association Of Health Care Providers

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Dr Anoop Hajela, president of Association of Health Care Providers of India, MP Chapter and director of Hajela Hospital talked to Free Press on different issues. Excerpts

After Supreme Court order for removal of stray dogs, pet lovers have raised protest. What are your views?

Government should include stray dogs’ care as corporate social responsibility (CSR). Distributing a few packets of biscuits to stray dogs do not serve the purpose. Starved stray dogs become aggressive.

If it is incorporated in the CSR, government will allot land, and pet lovers will set up shelter homes. Dog bites lead to rabies and patients suffer a lot. Anti-rabies injection (normal) costs Rs 400 per dose and in severe injuries, special injection costs Rs 4,000 per dose.

Two doses of special injection are prescribed. Even from financial angle, it is a costly affair. Rabies poses a risk to humans. Sterilisation and vaccination programmes, which are part of stray dog care initiatives, help control population and prevent spread of diseases.

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As per civic body estimation, there are 1.5 lakh stray dogs in Bhopal and it will take 5 years sterilise them. There are three ABC centres. What should be done for speedy birth control of stray dogs?

First of all, civic body should decide which gender (male/female) has to be sterilised. This decision will reduce 50% burden of ABC centres. There is no need for sterilisation of entire population of stray dogs. Random sterilisation is useless as it is not result oriented.

With onset of rainy season, dengue cases increase. People move here and there for platelets. How this situation should be dealt?

Even in my hospital, 400-500 dengue patients are admitted for treatment during every season. There is no need for platelets transfusion for dengue patients unless there is bleeding. Unnecessary transfusions can lead to complications like fluid overload, transfusion reactions.

Patients’ safety is generally ignored in hospitals. How do you deal with such issues in your hospital?

Hospitals should keep patients’ safety on priority. I got sprinklers installed in ICU as it is one of fire-safety measures. Secondly, false ceiling is also responsible for fire as people use false ceiling made up of combustible material. False ceiling of non-combustible material should be used and there should be wiring in pipes. They should not be left hanging.