New Delhi: The Congress party has been accused by Delhi's ruling AAP of politicising the issue of dengue deaths. Instead of protesting, its members should have donated blood to help patients, said AAP.

"If only the Congress leaders, who have politicised the issue and protested over dengue deaths, had donated blood, it would have helped," AAP leader Dilip Pandey said while addressing a press conference here.

He said the AAP officials have met private medical practitioners in the city to start "fever clinics", which would provide treatment to dengue patients for free.

"This is a step to reduce the rush which is seen in government hospitals due to many dengue patients," Pandey said.

He added that the Delhi government was also taking all possible steps for the patients, like increasing the number of beds in hospitals.

AAP workers would also go on a door-to-door survey at homes to find out the dengue situation, he added.

The AAP leader also blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party governed civic bodies for not taking enough preventive measures such as fogging.

He said civic bodies were not doing enough in educating people about the preventive methods to avoid dengue.

Earlier during the day, Congress activists, including Congress Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken, staged a protest outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence.

The activists alleged that the AAP government's inefficiency was resulting in the rising cases of dengue in the national capital.

Delhi's civic bodies have so far confirmed only five dengue deaths and the number of cases as 1,872.

However, deaths caused by dengue have gone up to at least 16 as tracked by IANS.

(IANS)