Pune: Dengue Claims Two Lives, PMC Under Fire Over Lack of Patient Data and Fogging
Lohegaon, 22th October 2026: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has come under scrutiny after two people, including an 8-year-old girl from Lohegaon, reportedly died of dengue, with questions raised over the civic body’s preparedness to tackle the spread of the disease. The health department has reportedly failed to provide concrete figures on the number of dengue cases, deaths and patients in critical condition in the city. The alleged absence of regular fogging operations has further raised concerns over mosquito control and public health.
The issue came up during a Standing Committee meeting, where members expressed strong displeasure over the administration’s inability to provide clear information on dengue cases and deaths. Standing Committee Chairman Shrinath Bhimale directed the civic administration to submit a detailed report at the next meeting within a week.
Questions were also raised over whether hospitals and pathology laboratories were regularly sharing dengue-related information with the PMC and whether the health department was maintaining proper records of patients undergoing treatment. The administration reportedly could not provide clear figures on the number of active cases, patients in critical condition or deaths attributed to dengue.
After the death of an eight-year-old girl in Lohegaon, information was sought from Health Department Head Dr Neena Borade. She had reportedly said that she would collect the details and provide them later. However, she was unable to provide concrete information during the Standing Committee meeting.
Questions Over Fogging Operations
Members also questioned the alleged lack of fogging operations in the city despite the growing dengue threat. They stressed the need to prevent mosquito breeding and intensify preventive measures. The committee called for adequate manpower to strengthen mosquito-control activities.
Bhimale said orders had been issued for the urgent recruitment of 265 personnel. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the health department’s response, stating that timely preventive measures should have been taken as dengue cases increased.
Additional Commissioner Calls Emergency Meeting
Following the concerns raised over the dengue situation, Additional Municipal Commissioner Pavneet Kaur convened an emergency meeting with health department officials. All ward offices have been instructed to implement the necessary preventive measures.
Kaur said that the eight-year-old girl from Lohegaon had other underlying medical conditions. She also confirmed that an elderly woman from Gokhalenagar had died due to dengue.
The health department has been directed to urgently collect patient information from government and private hospitals, as well as clinics, to establish the extent of the outbreak.
The administration’s efforts to gather patient data after the reported deaths have raised questions about the regular monitoring of dengue cases and the timely implementation of preventive measures. The report to be submitted within a week is expected to provide details of the dengue situation in Pune and the steps taken by the civic body to control its spread.
