Western Railways Jagjivan Ram Hospital is overflowing with malaria cases,some of them doctors. Since July,the 330-bed hospital has found 396 people positive for malaria,seven of them doctors,and the shortage of space has restricted the treatment of some at home. Of the seven doctors,George Thomas,H P Rawat,T C Sharma,Uma Natraj and Atul Sharma,work at JRH,while Dr G K Singh and Dr Annpurna Sonawane work at the railway dispensaries in Lower Parel and Borivali. Four of the JRH doctors had tested positive in July,when the hospital checked 2,172 people and confirmed 356 with malaria. The fifth JRH doctor and the two from the dispensaries were among 16 who tested positive on Wednesday; all were admitted. On Thursday,24 tested positive and 17 were admitted. Extra beds are being put in place wherever possible. The ENT ward has relatively few patients and arrangements will be made there, said Dr A K Vyas,the hospitals medical director. We have stopped planning surgeries. Only in an emergency are patients being admitted. Some patients are being allowed to take medication at home. The hospital is discharging people with malaria patients in three or four days if satisfied with their recovery. On Tuesday,it discharged 21 persons including some with malaria. Dr Vyas said most of the affected are from Lower Parel and Mumbai Central,low-lying areas prone to waterlogging and breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Railway employees who live there alleged the heaps of garbage near the dispensaries encourage mosquitoes to breed in the adjoining colonies.
