In the backdrop of allegations that it was understating figures on dengue and chikungunya cases in Delhi, the MCD is now planning to introduce the facility of online reporting of such cases for all private and government hospitals in the city.

"The expert committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) health department is contemplating developing a facility whereby all government and private hospitals will report dengue and chikungunya cases to the civic body online," V K Monga, chairman of MCD's health committee, said.

At present, hospitals send a hard copy via fax everyday of the number of dengue and chikungunya cases being treated by them.

"But many hospitals do not report to us as they feel it is a time-consuming and cumbersome process. Due to this, the exact number of people affected by dengue or chikungunya is not known and steps to contain these diseases do not materialise well," Monga said.

In the new system, all hospitals and other health service providers in the city will be provided a unique password to login and update the results easily instead of sending fax reports to the MCD.

Hospitals will have to update details which will include the name, age, sex, address and laboratory data of the patient to the MCD.

"It will reduce the hurdles before the hospitals, improve the system and bring in more transparency. People will stop blaming the MCD that it is hiding the actual cases of dengue and chikungunya in the city," he said.