Telangana: DPH survey on fever questioned over accuracy, reliability of collected statistical data

The fever survey was conducted between July 23 and August 26 and the office of the DPH claimed that a total of 4.40 crore individuals in State were covered and 2,65,324 persons were identified with fevers

Hyderabad: The fever survey conducted by Directorate of Public Health (DPH) in Telangana during the ongoing season of viral fevers and vector-borne diseases has raised several questions over accuracy and reliability of the statistical data collected and presented to the general public by the health department.

The fever survey was conducted between July 23 and August 26 and the office of the DPH claimed that a total of 4.40 crore individuals in State were covered and 2,65,324 persons were identified with fevers.

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However, questions are raised over the possibilities of covering 4.40 crore individuals within a short frame of a month. Moreover, the population of Telangana is anywhere between 3.50 crore and 3.80 crore and not 4.40 crore as being claimed in the survey.

Even if one counts repeat visits to households by field level healthcare workers, it is impossible to cover every person in Telangana in just 30 days, point out senior health officials involved in similar fever surveys and Kanti Velugu initiatives in the past.

Moreover, the data generated appears not to add up between fever survey statistics presented on August 24 and August 26.

On August 26, the DPH, Dr B Ravinder Naik said that the fever survey between July 23 and August 25 covered 1,42,78,723 (1.42 crore) households and screened 4,40,06,799 persons. In the process, healthcare workers identified 2,65,324 persons with fevers.

However, on August 24, while interacting with press persons, Dr Naik said that between July 23 and August 21, a total of 3,91,72,312 individuals were screened covering 1,27,49,028 households and the total number of fever cases were found to be 2,45,111.

Within a span of August 21 and 26, i.e. three working days of August 22, 23 and August 24, the fever survey data claimed that an additional 50 lakh (or 48,34,487 to be exact) individuals were covered, which appears quite a task.

Meanwhile, several attempts at reaching out to DPH, Dr Ravinder Naik were unfruitful.

Fever survey data on August 26: (July 23-August 25)

• Number of households covered: 1,42,78,723
• Total number of individuals screened: 4,40,06,799
• Total number of viral fevers identified: 2,65,324
• Fever survey data on August 24: (July 23-August 21)
• Number of households covered: 1,27,49,028
• Total number of individuals screened: 3,91,72,312
• Total number of viral fevers identified: 2,45,111