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			<title>Over 3,300 FIRs filed in dengue SOP violations in Rawalpindi, Murree</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2563698/over-3300-firs-filed-in-dengue-sop-violations-in-rawalpindi-murree</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2563698/over-3300-firs-filed-in-dengue-sop-violations-in-rawalpindi-murree#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 25 06:44:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Jamil Mirza]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2563698</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Over 2,400 premises sealed, 3,085 challans issued as provincial case load surges past 175]]>
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				<![CDATA[Over 3,300 FIRs have been registered in Rawalpindi and Murree for violations of dengue prevention guidelines, as authorities take legal measures to control the spread, it emerged on Thursday.

In Rawalpindi, nearly 129,000 teams inspected over 4.4 million houses and found larvae in 91,909 of them, In Murree, 167 teams surveyed 427,955 houses and detected larvae in 2,178.

Overall, 1.17m sites were inspected, of which 106,062 tested positive for dengue larvae.

As a result, 1,458 premises were also sealed, and 3,085 challans were issued, resulting in fines of over Rs 7.5m in Rawalpindi.

Read: Dengue cases rise to 90 in K-P

In murree, 983 premises were sealed and fines amounting to Rs844,000 were imposed.

Officials said the crackdown on SOP violations, coupled with large-scale surveillance, would continue in the coming weeks as part of efforts to contain the outbreak.

Rising cases

A total of 176 confirmed dengue cases have been reported in Rawalpindi and Murree this season, with 23 new infections emerging in the past 24 hours.

Dengue, transmitted by a mosquito species that breeds in stagnant water, remains a growing concern especially with monsoon rains and flooding across the country.

Despite the rising number of patients, no dengue-related deaths have been recorded in either district.

According to district health officials, Rawalpindi has reported 99 confirmed cases to date, while Murree has registered 77.

Read more: Disease outbreaks surge in monsoon

Currently, 94 patients are receiving treatment in hospitals. Punjab health authorities have also established dozens of emergency medical camps in affected districts.

&quot;Floodwaters destroy sanitation systems, mix sewage with drinking water, and provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Unless immediate preventive steps are taken, Punjab may witness an exponential rise in dengue, malaria, and waterborne diseases over the coming weeks,&quot; warned an epidemiologist, while speaking to The Express Tribune.

More than 15,400 patients of dengue fever, malaria, diarrhoea, skin infections and other seasonal diseases have been registered in the province over the past month, according to official health record.

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			<title>Dengue reigns supreme, once again</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2499998/dengue-reigns-supreme-once-again</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2499998/dengue-reigns-supreme-once-again#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 01 Oct 24 15:58:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[KHALID RASHEED]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2499998</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Lack of timely fumigation, stagnant water bodies continue to threaten public health in the core province]]>
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				<![CDATA[With the onset of the monsoon season, the reign of the dengue mosquitos has begun yet again in Punjab, where mere verbal assurances from the disease control authorities on their prevention strategies continue to threaten public health.

The government&#39;s policy of conducting house-to-house spraying for dengue mosquito prevention has been practically halted for the last three years, while fogging spray is only done in a few places, after which a &quot;satisfactory&quot; report is submitted to the department. Such negligence comes at a hefty cost for locals in the province, who are consistently plagued by the worry of being bitten by mosquitos.

Syed Kashif Ali Tirmizi, a resident of a posh area in Lahore, revealed that he and his family contracted the dengue fever every year, due to which they had to spend 15 to 20 days in isolation. &ldquo;During the rainy season, stagnant water in our area leads to the formation of larvae, which then spreads in the form of dengue mosquitoes. Dozens of cases are reported in our area every year, but no spraying is done by the health department or local authorities,&rdquo; lamented Tirmizi.

Agreeing with Tirmizi, Farhat Rasheed, the headmistress of a local school, confirmed that dengue cases continued to be reported despite the awareness efforts of their teaching staff since the district administration did not fumigate on time. &ldquo;The dengue spray is only on paper, and no actual spraying is done to prevent dengue,&rdquo; said Rasheed.

According to data obtained by the Express Tribune over 3,000 dengue cases have been reported this year while in the last 13 years, more than 335,000 cases of dengue have been reported and more than 613 deaths have occurred. Furthermore, a dengue emergency has been declared in Rawalpindi due to the highest number of reported cases.

The in-charge of a local laboratory stated that during a dengue outbreak, the prices for dengue tests increased in order to save patient&rsquo;s lives. &ldquo;Last year, during the dengue season, single platelets were sold for up to Rs20,000, and mega platelets were sold for Rs30,000 to Rs32,000. This year, prices are expected to increase further,&rdquo; he confirmed.

Similarly, Abdul Rahman Mushak, the owner of a local general store, revealed that in smaller areas where mosquitoes have a high breeding rate, people use mosquito nets. &ldquo;The prices of these nets increase by Rs500 to Rs1,000 every year. Currently, medium-sized mosquito nets are available for Rs1,800 to Rs2,500,&rdquo; claimed Mushak.

On the other hand, Professor Dr Naveed Akbar Hotiana, medic from a local government hospital assured that the hospital was fully prepared for dengue cases this year. &ldquo;So far, more than 2,000 cases have been reported in Punjab, and their treatment is ongoing,&rdquo; disclosed Dr Hotiana.

Speaking to the Express Tribune on the matter, Dr Yadullah Ali, Director of Health Services for Common Diseases and Epidemic Control, stated that the only solution to get rid of the dengue outbreak was to maintain cleanliness and continuously spray disinfectants in stagnant water bodies and streets to eliminate breeding grounds for dengue mosquitoes.

&ldquo;Using mosquito nets at night and spraying insecticides in homes is crucial. The fogging spray program is being restarted. Due to some complaints and issues with the quality of spraying, the district government had temporarily halted the house-to-house spraying initiative. Dengue cases are being reported in Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, and Sahiwal. The department conducts emergency checks and spraying in the homes and areas of those who file complaints on the department&#39;s dashboard. Dengue teams work for nine months of the year.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>New dengue vaccine</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2467236/new-dengue-vaccine</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2467236/new-dengue-vaccine#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 18 May 24 19:24:59 +0500</pubDate>
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			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2467236</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[New dengue vaccine]]>
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				<![CDATA[Amidst the persistent global threat of dengue fever, a breakthrough has emerged with WHO granting pre-qualification to a new vaccine for the mosquito-borne disease. This significant development marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing battle against dengue virus, offering renewed hope for millions worldwide.

Dengue fever poses a formidable public health challenge in numerous countries across the globe. With its debilitating symptoms ranging from fever and severe joint pain to potentially fatal complications, the disease imposes a heavy burden on affected communities and health systems. WHO&rsquo;s pre-qualification of the new vaccine signifies a critical step forward in addressing this pressing global health issue. The pre-qualification of the new dengue vaccine holds immense promise for countries grappling with the burden of the disease. By adopting comprehensive mosquito control measures, nations can bolster their efforts to prevent and mitigate dengue outbreaks. Furthermore, equitable access to the new dengue vaccine must be ensured, particularly in resource-limited settings where the burden of the disease is most pronounced.

Pakistan has grappled with recurrent dengue outbreaks in recent years, particularly during the monsoon season when favourable conditions for mosquito breeding prevail. These outbreaks have placed immense strain on the country&rsquo;s healthcare infrastructure. The availability of a WHO-prequalified dengue vaccine presents Pakistan with a valuable tool that can be incorporated into the national immunisation programme. Targeting vulnerable populations through this will bolster the country&rsquo;s capacity to prevent and mitigate dengue outbreaks. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the new dengue vaccine in Pakistan will depend on the proactive actions taken by authorities to capitalise on this opportunity.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2024.

Like Opinion &amp; Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

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			<title>Pindi cracks down on dengue violations</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463083/pindi-cracks-down-on-dengue-violations</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463083/pindi-cracks-down-on-dengue-violations#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 24 19:04:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2463083</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Dr. Mehmood, DCEPC, says health department issued 121 tickets and Rs212,000 fines for dengue SOP violations]]>
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				<![CDATA[The district health authority (DHA) registered 50 cases and sealed 62 premises on violations of anti-dengue SOPs from January 1, 2024, to date.

District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control (DCEPC), Dr Sajjad Mehmood Wednesday said the health department, in collaboration with allied departments, had issued tickets to 121 and imposed a fine of Rs212,000 on violations of dengue SOPs during the year.

The health officer said only four dengue patients had been reported in the district so far and were sent to homes after treatment.

Dr Sajjad added that during indoor vector surveillance, the teams checked 1,214,595 houses and larvae were detected at 2,404 sites while during outdoor surveillance larvae were found at 598 spots while inspecting 316,370 places.

He said the district health authority had devised an effective micro plan to control the spread of dengue keeping in view the previous year&rsquo;s statistics, adding present rains had also increased the spread of dengue larvae breeding for which concerted efforts were in place to screen every nook and corner of the district so that dengue could not become an epidemic this year.

Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi commissioner has directed the officials to accelerate field activities for tracing larvae and expedite surveillance in the graveyards, junkyards and under-construction sites which were the vulnerable places for dengue spread.

He has directed the health department to ensure the availability of required treatment and medicines in the hospitals.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19th, 2024.]]>
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			<title>Pindi gears up for anti-dengue drive</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2457837/pindi-gears-up-for-anti-dengue-drive</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2457837/pindi-gears-up-for-anti-dengue-drive#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 27 Feb 24 21:31:27 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Qaiser Shirazi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2457837</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Admin aims to curb disease spread, ramps up efforts to eliminate breeding grounds]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Rawalpindi district administration is all set to start the anti-dengue drive across the district from March 1. The campaign will last till October 31. However, the anti-dengue legislation will go into effect from April 1.

The district has been split into four sectors and 31 cluster centres and each of them has a separate in-charge.

Medical professionals have sensitised the first week of March as a potential breeding season for dengue larvae. The authorities have planned to hire 2,200 temporary dengue patrol workers for the dengue campaign against lump sum compensations.

The Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner has ordered to hiring of more female workers, who will be well-versed in Pashtun, Saraiki and Pothohari languages for the success of the campaign in terms of communication in local languages with the families living in in densely-populated areas.

Plans have been sought from all 22 departments for the next week&#39;s anti-dengue meeting.

Read:&nbsp;As mercury falls, dengue ebbs

DC Hasan Waqar Cheema presided over the first meeting of the anti-dengue campaign on Friday and directed the officers and representatives of all the concerned departments to start monitoring and checking from March 1 of all areas, union councils and wards declared as hotspots in the last five years across the district.

He made it clear that dengue larvae shouldn&rsquo;t flourish in any hotspot location and that all dengue teams would concentrate on underground water tanks, water tanks installed at residential rooftops, and underground plazas.

Hasan further asked the officials concerned to strictly check the water trays of refrigerators in houses, room coolers, water bowls for birds and pets and water channels of air conditioners.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Health Authority and the District Health Officer informed the meeting that spray and protective kits had been arranged for the dengue campaign. They said all their teams are active in the campaign.

This year, the teams of the Department of Agriculture and Civil Defence will work on the third-party survey. The third-party teams will inspect the areas, wards, or union councils to be cleared after complete checking by the dengue teams. In case of the presence of dengue larvae in the already cleared areas, dengue teams will face departmental action.

During the meeting, the DC further ordered a robust and aggressive anti-dengue campaign after the Eidul Fitr holidays. He said that all hotspot areas, under-construction buildings, cemeteries, and empty plots will undergo an in-depth search beginning on March 1.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2024.]]>
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			<title>Dengue control falls under scrutiny</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2450784/dengue-control-falls-under-scrutiny</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2450784/dengue-control-falls-under-scrutiny#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 21 Dec 23 20:16:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Asif Mahmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2450784</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Government invests in several combative strategies including utilization of specific aquatic creatures, plants]]>
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				<![CDATA[With dengue assuming the status of a perennial epidemic, the government has invested in a number of combative strategies including the utilization of specific aquatic creatures and plants for eliminating the mosquitos&rsquo; larvae however, critics are of the opinion that the measures have not yielded satisfactory results.

Despite the Department of Fisheries Punjab claiming to have released approximately 2.3 million tilapia fish into water bodies, ponds and lakes every year, there is no authentic data proving the efficacy of these fish in controlling the growth of dengue mosquitoes. Instead, much to the dismay of the dengue control teams, the usage of aquatic creatures for eliminating dengue larvae from water has not curbed the growing number of dengue cases which arise each year.

As per statistics gathered by the Health Department Punjab, there was a 37 per cent increase in the dengue positivity rate during the past two years, with the total number of reported cases reaching 356,561 by just September of the current year, in comparison to 259,344 cases reported from the previous year hence proving that the governments measures for dengue control have been largely inadequate.

&ldquo;Our job is only to release the baby tilapia fish into water bodies after checking the potential of hydrogen (pH) levels of the water. Whether or not they yield any positive results is beyond our purview and is the responsibility of the Punjab government,&rdquo; said a spokesman of the Department of Fisheries Punjab, who added that the usage of aquatic creatures and plants for dengue control was a biological type of dengue control amidst many other options that were available.

Read&nbsp;Dengue on the decline in Punjab

&ldquo;There is currently no scientific evidence that supports the usage of aquatic creatures and plantations for combatting dengue. Among the many different ways for controlling dengue, the most updated ones include the widespread usage of chemical repellants, including sprays, lotions, candles, coils and vaporizers, which disrupt the mosquitoes&rsquo; sense of smell, taste or both,&rdquo; said Dr Khalid Pervaiz, a medical expert, who added that some people were also taking vitamin B and garlic food supplements for preventing dengue.

Disagreeing with Dr Pervaiz are experts who argue that certain plants can play an important role in combatting dengue mosquitoes. In their opinion, mosquitoes and other fungi are repelled away by the aroma emanating from plants like neem, mint, marigold, tulsi and lemongrass.

Speaking to The Express Tribune on the matter, Dr Muhammad Hafeezur Rehman, Chairman of the Department of Fisheries and Ecoculture said, &ldquo;It has been scientifically proven that different types of fish, including tilapia, eat mosquitoes, their larvae and other small insects as food. We employ three different methods to destroy the dengue mosquito and its larvae, including mechanical control, chemical control and biological control.&rdquo;

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2023.]]>
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			<title>As mercury falls, dengue ebbs</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2449286/as-mercury-falls-dengue-ebbs</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2449286/as-mercury-falls-dengue-ebbs#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 07 Dec 23 20:07:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2449286</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Over 14,000 cases confirmed so far during the year]]>
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				<![CDATA[Following a decrease in temperature, the dengue outbreak in Punjab is showing signs of slowing down. Thursday&#39;s report reported 64 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases this year to 14,649 across 36 districts. 

Lahore remains the hardest-hit, reporting 6,719 cases, followed by Rawalpindi with 2,643, Gujranwala with 1,555, Multan with 1,404 and Faisalabad with 871 cases. While Lahore reported 31 new cases on Thursday, Rawalpindi 2, Gujranwala 9, Multan 6, Faisalabad 6, and Sheikhupura 3. Other districts like Kasur, Attock, Khanewal, Rahimyar Khan, Khushab, Rajanpur, and Layyah each reported one case in the last 24 hours. 

Currently, 48 patients are receiving treatment in Punjab hospitals, with 26 being treated in Lahore. Health Secretary Ali Jaan Khan urged citizens to maintain cleanliness and cooperate with health teams. A helpline (1033) is available for information, complaints or dengue treatment. Vigilance and proactive measures remain crucial to curbing Dengue&#39;s spread. 

Read:&nbsp;Dengue ebbs at turn of month

The number of reported dengue cases has consistently decreased over the past week. As many as 77 new cases were reported last Saturday, with Health Department data revealing a total of 14,335 confirmed cases across the province this year. Lahore takes the lead in this unfortunate count with a staggering 6,541 cases, followed closely by Rawalpindi with 2,631, Gujranwala with 1,522, Multan with 1,369 and Faisalabad with 847 cases. 

Lahore reported an additional 47 new dengue cases, Rawalpindi with 5, Gujranwala with 10, Multan with 4, Faisalabad with 5 and Okara with 2 new cases. Meanwhile, Narowal, Sargodha, Khanewal and Chakwal each reported one case within 24 hours. Currently, 101 patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals across Punjab, with 55 of them in Lahore district hospitals.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Health dept plans to use ducks to combat dengue</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2448928/health-dept-plans-to-use-ducks-to-combat-dengue</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2448928/health-dept-plans-to-use-ducks-to-combat-dengue#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Dec 23 19:30:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2448928</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Micro-level strategy to help counter rise in cases]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Rawalpindi district has put together a &lsquo;micro-level anti-dengue plan&rsquo; that includes measures such as targeting ponds and other breeding grounds for larvae which would be authorised by end January and put into effect on February 6, the health department said Friday.

The plan, which includes encouraging breeding ducks as a countermeasure, has been devised due to a year-on-year increase in the number of cases. However, the district did not report any dengue-related deaths in 2023, having had reported fatalities a year earlier.

Farmers in rural regions will be encouraged to raise ducks if there are more open ponds in these places, it said, adding that domestic ducks prefer mosquito larvae as their diet.

Read:&nbsp;Dengue ebbs at turn of month

This year, 2,686 patients were treated for dengue at government hospitals. Meanwhile, private hospitals reported at least 20,000 patients who came in with dengue-like symptoms, while government hospitals also reported 17,418 suspected cases who were kept under observation but did not test positive for dengue.

The department added that designated dengue wards were set up. In 14 small and large hospitals in the Rawalpindi area, 228 beds were set aside for dengue patients. On December 1, only 23 of those beds were used to treat patients, the department said.

The data shared by the department revealed 64 per cent of dengue patients to be male and 36 per cent female.

The department said it found more more dengue larvae than the previous year. The data showed that in 2021, a little over 40,000 locations, including residences and under-construction sites, were found to have dengue larvae. In 2022, the number of sites increased to 50,769 houses.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue refuses to ebb in Punjab</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2446741/dengue-refuses-to-ebb-in-punjab</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2446741/dengue-refuses-to-ebb-in-punjab#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Nov 23 18:36:06 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ADNAN LODHI]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2446741</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Over 220 fresh cases confirmed province-wide]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Punjab health authorities have failed to rein in dengue fever in the province as the number of patients continues to grow.

Official data shows that 223 new dengue cases were confirmed across the province during the past 24 hours. The dengue wards of government hospitals witnessed a steady registration of patients.

The worst situation was faced in Lahore, 95 patients were confirmed in hospitals. The spread of the disease is at its peak in Punjab with the authorities concerned apparently unable to overcome the problem.

Health officials had claimed earlier that the number of dengue patients would decrease after the winter began, but the figure has continued increasing with 223 cases confirmed by the monitoring section of the primary and secondary healthcare department. 

According to the officials, the number of fresh patients was high in almost all big districts, including Gujarnwala, Sheikhupura, Multan and Faisalabad. 

The department registered 95 dengue patients in Lahore, 37 in Multan, 28 in Gujranwala, 20 in Faisalabad and 18 in Gujranwala. 

As many as 12,268 dengue cases have been confirmed in Punjab during the ongoing year. Lahore has recorded the highest number of patients during the year at 5,412, followed by 2,533 in Rawalpindi, 1,215 in Multan, 1,200 in Gujranwala, 653 in Faisalabad and 193 in the Sheikhupura district. 

However, the fever caused by dengue mosquito bite had spread to almost every district, causing a rush of patients in the outpatient departments and dengue wards of hospitals.

Read:&nbsp;181 new dengue cases reported

A health official said while speaking to The Express Tribune that it was evident that the relevant departments had failed to prevent the spread of dengue in the province.

He alleged that the officials responsible for the situation were misleading the government as well as the citizens.

He said there had also been mismanagement at the level of local administration in ensuring fumigation, alleging that the spray had not been carried out at a number of hotspots of dengue risk.

He alleged that the anti-dengue teams had shown poor performance during the ongoing year, resulting in the current situation.

The official said the pressure of coping with the situation was now being faced by the hospitals that had already been struggling to treat patients with ailments caused by smog.

He expressed fear the number of patients in the dengue wards might increase in the coming days, adding that the government should take measures in this regard.

&quot;There are 173 dengue patients admitted to hospitals in Punjab, of whom 80 are in Lahore,&quot; announced Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Ali Jan Khan.

He urged the citizens to focus on maintaining cleanliness in their localities and cooperate with the anti-dengue teams.

He said the citizens could also help create awareness about dengue fever while remaining updated from a helpline being operated by the government for the purpose.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue refuses to loosen grip on Punjab</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2445544/dengue-refuses-to-loosen-grip-on-punjab</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2445544/dengue-refuses-to-loosen-grip-on-punjab#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Nov 23 20:02:36 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP.]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2445544</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Lahore reported 117 new dengue cases]]>
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				<![CDATA[Punjab remains in the clutches of dengue as 215 new cases were reported on Wednesday. According to the latest Health Department data, a total of 10,758 dengue cases have been confirmed in 36 districts of the province this year. 

Lahore is leading this unfortunate count with a staggering 4,675 cases so far, followed closely by Rawalpindi with 2,414, Multan with 1,069, Faisalabad with 518, and Gujranwala with 969 cases. 

Read&nbsp;213 new dengue cases confirmed in Punjab

During the past 24 hours, Lahore reported 117 new dengue cases, Rawalpindi reported 31, Multan 9, Gujranwala 29, Faisalabad 14, Sheikhupura 5 and Rahim Yar Khan two. Currently, 192 dengue patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals across Punjab, with 103 of them in Lahore district hospitals. 

Secretary of Health Punjab Ali Jaan Khan made a compelling plea to citizens, urging them to maintain clean and dry surroundings as a preventive measure against dengue fever.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>31 FIRs lodged for violation of dengue SOPs</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2442707/31-firs-lodged-for-violation-of-dengue-sops</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2442707/31-firs-lodged-for-violation-of-dengue-sops#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Oct 23 20:11:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP.]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2442707</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Official says 92 patients admitted to various health facilities]]>
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				<![CDATA[The District Health Authority (DHA) has lodged 31 FIRs and sealed four premises on violations of anti-dengue SOPs during the last 24 hours.

District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control Dr Sajjad Mehmood Monday said that the health department, in collaboration with allied departments, had issued tickets to nine and imposed a fine of Rs12,000 on violations of dengue SOPs on Monday.

Presently, the health officer informed that 92 patients were admitted to different district health facilities, of which 46 were confirmed cases while 2,096 were discharged after treatment.

Dr Mehmood added that with the arrival of eight more cases during the last 24 hours, the district&#39;s total tally had reached 2,143 confirmed cases.

The district administration emphasises close coordination between the health department and allied hospitals, with 419 patients already recovered due to improved strategies.

Among the new cases, he informed that three of each patient had arrived from the Potohar Town, and Municipal Corporation area while one each from Rawalpindi Cantonment and Taxila. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue will 'take off' in southern Europe, US, Africa this decade, WHO scientist says</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2439590/dengue-will-take-off-in-southern-europe-us-africa-this-decade-who-scientist-says</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2439590/dengue-will-take-off-in-southern-europe-us-africa-this-decade-who-scientist-says#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 06 Oct 23 06:52:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2439590</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Illness is a scourge in Asia,Latin America, causing an estimated 20,000 deaths each year]]>
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				<![CDATA[Dengue fever will become a major threat in the southern United States, southern Europe and new parts of Africa this decade, the WHO&#39;s chief scientist said, as warmer temperatures create the conditions for the mosquitoes carrying the infection to spread.

The illness has long been a scourge in much of Asia and Latin America, causing an estimated 20,000 deaths each year. Rates of the disease have already risen eight-fold globally since 2000, driven largely by climate change as well as the increased movement of people and urbanization.

Many cases go unrecorded, but in 2022&nbsp;4.2 million cases were reported&nbsp;worldwide and public health officials have warned that near-record levels of transmission are expected this year.&nbsp;Bangladesh&nbsp;is currently experiencing its worst-ever outbreak, with more than 1,000 deaths.

&ldquo;We need to talk much more proactively about dengue,&rdquo; Jeremy Farrar, an infectious diseases specialist who joined the World Health Organization in May this year, told Reuters.

&ldquo;We need to really prepare countries for how they will deal with the additional pressure that will come&hellip; in the future in many, many big cities.&rdquo;

Farrar previously spent 18 years working in Vietnam on tropical diseases including dengue. He later headed up the Wellcome Trust global health charity and advised the UK government on its COVID-19 response before joining the WHO in May this year.

Read Dengue cases continue to creep up

Farrar said the infection is likely to &ldquo;take off&rdquo; and become endemic in parts of the United States, Europe and Africa - all regions where there has already been some limited local transmission - as global warming makes new areas hospitable to the mosquitoes that spread it. That will put acute pressure on hospital systems in many countries, he warned.

&ldquo;The clinical care is really intensive, it requires a high ratio of nurses to patients,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I really worry when this becomes a big issue in sub-Saharan Africa.&rdquo;

Most people who get dengue do not have symptoms, meaning case rates are thought to be far higher than the reported numbers. Those who do can experience fever, muscle spasms and joint pain so severe it is known as &ldquo;break-bone fever.&rdquo; In severe cases &ndash; less than 1% - it can be fatal.

There is no specific treatment for dengue, although there is a vaccine available. Earlier this week, the WHO recommended Takeda Pharmaceuticals&#39;&nbsp;Qdenga vaccine for children aged 6 to 16 in areas where the infection is a significant public health problem.

Qdenga is also&nbsp;approved by the EU&nbsp;regulator, but&nbsp;Takeda withdrew&nbsp;its application in the United States earlier this year, citing data collection issues. Takeda said it was still in talks with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the vaccine.

Read more&nbsp;Bangladesh dengue deaths top 1,000 in worst outbreak on record

Preparing new regions of the world to deal with dengue means ensuring that any public health funds get spent in the right areas, Farrar said, including on the best way to control the mosquito.

Dengue is spread by infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which behave differently to the malaria-carrying kind. For example, they bite people indoors, and they bite all day rather than overnight. They also breed in very shallow water.

Farrar said proper prevention would include triaging plans for hospitals as well as scientific innovation alongside other key factors, such as urban planning, to avoid areas of standing water near or in houses.

&ldquo;We need to combine different sectors that are not used to working together,&rdquo; he said.]]>
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			<title>Bangladesh dengue deaths top 1,000 in worst outbreak on record</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2438846/bangladesh-dengue-deaths-top-1000-in-worst-outbreak-on-record</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2438846/bangladesh-dengue-deaths-top-1000-in-worst-outbreak-on-record#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 02 Oct 23 18:08:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2438846</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Bangladesh grapples with its worst-ever dengue outbreak, over 1,000 deaths and 200,000 confirmed cases this year]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[More than 1,000 people in Bangladesh have died of dengue fever since the start of the year, official figures showed, in the country&#39;s worst recorded outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease.

Figures from the country&#39;s Directorate General of Health Services published on Sunday night said 1,006 people had died, among more than 200,000 confirmed cases.

The agency&#39;s former director Be-Nazir Ahmed told AFP that the number of deaths so far this year was higher than every previous year combined from 2000, when Bangladesh recorded its first dengue outbreak.

&quot;It&#39;s a massive health event, both in Bangladesh and in the world,&quot; he added.

Read also:&nbsp;Dengue vaccine tests successful for 1st time in epidemic-hit Bangladesh

World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last month the outbreak was &quot;putting huge pressure on the health system&quot; in Bangladesh.

Dengue is a disease endemic to tropical areas that causes high fevers, headaches, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain and, in the most serious cases, bleeding that can lead to death.

The WHO has warned that dengue -- and other diseases caused by mosquito-borne viruses such as chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika -- are spreading faster and further due to climate change.]]>
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			<title>Killer gets 25 years in prison</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2438598/killer-gets-25-years-in-prison</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2438598/killer-gets-25-years-in-prison#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 30 Sep 23 21:06:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Fiaz Mehmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2438598</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Sonia Bibi was killed for refusing a marriage proposal]]>
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				<![CDATA[A District and Sessions Court in the federal capital has sentenced a young man to 25 years in prison for killing a 24-year-old Christian woman for refusing his marriage proposal.

District and Sessions Judge Azam Khan heard the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant District Public Prosecutor Rana Hassan Abbas.

The tragic incident unfolded when the convict, Shehzad, sent his family to the victim, Sonia Bibi&rsquo;s, parents with a marriage proposal. The girl&#39;s family declined the proposal, citing religious differences since Shehzad was a Muslim, and they were Christians.

According to the prosecution, Shehzad began threatening Sonia in the months that followed. Eventually, on November 30, 2020, he chased and fatally shot her on an Islamabad highway.

Following the incident, Sonia&#39;s body was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital, where doctors confirmed her death. The court&#39;s verdict was based on the testimony of 14 witnesses and the prosecution&#39;s evidence, ultimately finding Shehzad guilty of the crime.

In addition to the prison sentence, Shehzad was ordered to pay a fine of Rs1 million to the victim&rsquo;s heirs.

The court further ruled that failure to make this payment would result in an additional six months of imprisonment.

Moreover, three other accused were acquitted in the case. The court found that the prosecution had failed to prove the case against co-accused Naghmana Shaheen and Saba Shehryar and, therefore, acquitted them due to reasonable doubt.

The court also issued an order to return the belongings of the deceased girl, including her clothing, to her family. Shehzad alias Shani, the convicted criminal, is already in custody, and the court directed that he remain in jail to serve his sentence. Conversely, the acquitted accused, Faizan, was ordered to be released.

The case was originally registered at Koral police station on November 30, 2020, under charges of murder and other applicable provisions.

Soon after the incident, officers from the Koral police station had arrested the accused, Faizan, launching a manhunt for the arrest of the prime suspect, Shehzad.

The accused and the victim were residents of the Old Airport area in Rawalpindi.

Initial investigation at the time had revealed that Faizan had picked up Sonia and taken her to meet Shehzad who then turned on the girl.

Sonia Bibi was a domestic cleaner and there were concerns for the welfare of her family for whom she was the main breadwinner.

According to police, on the day of the incident, the girl was traveling with Faizan on a highway, when Shehzad opened fire on her.

They said the murder appeared to have been carried out of personal resentment. However, the deputy inspector general (DIG) of the police had said the police were investigating all aspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue vaccine tests successful for 1st time in epidemic-hit Bangladesh</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2438264/dengue-vaccine-tests-successful-for-1st-time-in-epidemic-hit-bangladesh</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2438264/dengue-vaccine-tests-successful-for-1st-time-in-epidemic-hit-bangladesh#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 28 Sep 23 16:18:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2438264</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Single-dose vaccine demonstrates safety, effective against all 4 dengue serotypes, shows study]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[A dengue vaccine has been successfully tested for the first time in Bangladesh, raising hopes for the south Asian country to overcome the epidemic, scientists revealed in a new study, according to a statement on Thursday.

The single-dose vaccine, TV005, demonstrated safety and immune responsiveness in children and adults, tested effective against all the four dengue serotypes, according to the study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal on Wednesday.

Scientists from the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B), a Dhaka-based international health research organization, and the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont conducted the study, the ICDDR, B said in the statement.

Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne virus, is spreading throughout the world, especially in tropical regions. Mild cases cause fever and bone pain, while serious ones are associated with shock, bleeding, and sometimes death.

Public health specialists have urged authorities in Bangladesh to improve healthcare facilities as the country struggles to deal with rising cases, up to five times higher than cases reported by the government.

Other countries in South Asia are also experiencing surging outbreaks, while this year is Bangladesh&#39;s worst on record as cases overwhelm hospitals in the capital Dhaka, the ICDDR, B added.

&ldquo;Currently, fluid management and symptom control are the only available treatments for dengue. Vaccine development against all four serotypes (a tetravalent vaccine) is a high global priority,&rdquo; said the statement.

As of Thursday, Bangladesh reported a total of 967 deaths and nearly 200,000 cases of hospitalization due to dengue this year, a record of both figures in the last 23 years.

Read also:&nbsp;Thousands protest over Bangladesh&#39;s &#39;enforced disappearances&#39;

It said the study was a phase 2 randomized and controlled clinical trial evaluating the vaccine&#39;s safety, immunogenicity, and three-year durability.

Investigators followed 192 volunteers in four age cohorts up to 49 years old who received the vaccine or placebo over the course of three years, beginning in 2016. The jab was shown to be well-tolerated, the study noted.

Antibodies to all four dengue serotypes were found in most volunteers after vaccination, while individuals who had been infected previously had higher antibody counts. Though the study was not designed to evaluate efficacy, no cases of dengue were detected in vaccinated volunteers.

The University of Vermont has been evaluating dengue vaccines developed by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2009.

Participating investigators at the ICDDR, B include lead investigator and senior scientist Rashidul Haque, and key contributors Md. Shafiul Alam, Sajia Afreen, and Md. Masud Alam.

&quot;The development of an effective and tetravalent dengue vaccine is a very high priority for the large population of Bangladesh, which is now having increasingly severe dengue outbreaks,&quot; stated Haque.

&quot;The TV005 vaccine is the only single dose tetravalent dengue vaccine, which is an important feature of this vaccine,&quot; the University of Vermont team leader Beth Kirkpatrick said in the statement.

Subsequent studies, including the efficacy, durability, and immune responses to the vaccine are ongoing throughout the world, the study added.]]>
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			<title>Dengue surges in Punjab, 126 new cases reported</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2437622/dengue-surges-in-punjab-126-new-cases-reported</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2437622/dengue-surges-in-punjab-126-new-cases-reported#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 24 Sep 23 18:40:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2437622</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Health department reported 126 new confirmed cases of dengue fever in various parts of Punjab in the last 24 hours]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Health Department reported 126 new confirmed cases of dengue fever in various parts of Punjab in the last 24 hours.

This brings the total number of confirmed dengue cases in the province to 3,522 across 36 districts this year.

Lahore remains the hardest-hit with 1,417 cases, followed by Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala, with 854, 462, 173, and 144 cases, respectively. Lahore reported 42 new cases, Rawalpindi 48, Multan 16, Faisalabad 06, and Gujranwala 04 in the last 24 hours. Currently, 120 dengue patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals across the province, with 42 of them in Lahore.

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue awareness drive falters</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2437627/dengue-awareness-drive-falters</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2437627/dengue-awareness-drive-falters#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 24 Sep 23 18:42:14 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Jamil Mirza]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2437627</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Approximately four dozen new dengue cases surface in Rawalpindi]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The District Health Authority&rsquo;s (DHA) campaign against dengue has encountered setbacks after the continuous recovery of dengue larvae from various premises.

According to sources, dengue larvae were detected in 578 households and 73 outdoor locations in a single day during a survey.

In response to repeated discoveries of dengue larvae in the same areas, authorities levied fines amounting to Rs36,000 within a single day.

The District Health Authority&#39;s drive has been criticised as mere symbolism by other organisations involved in the anti-dengue campaign.

Sources further said the total number of confirmed dengue cases this season has now reached 948.

Over the past 24 hours, 45 new confirmed dengue cases were reported, bringing the tally of patients receiving treatment in hospitals to 89, with nine individuals in critical condition. A total of 859 patients have successfully recovered and been discharged from medical facilities.

So far, 48 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered due to repeated discoveries of dengue larvae despite prior warnings. A building was sealed off.

Out of the 10,290 identified hotspots designated as potential breeding grounds for dengue larvae, 1,008 hotspots were visited and cleared, while 282 remained unvisited. Commenting on negligence, DHA CEO emphasised that clear directives have been issued by the commissioner for the campaign&#39;s execution.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue spike sets  off alarm bells in K-P</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2437499/dengue-spike-sets-off-alarm-bells-in-k-p</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2437499/dengue-spike-sets-off-alarm-bells-in-k-p#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 23 Sep 23 19:50:59 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2437499</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Daily caseload rose to 308 on Saturday]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Dengue cases have been on the rise across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) due to the receding heatwave leaving alarm bells ringing in the provincial heath department.

Official sources told The Express Tribune that dengue cases have reached the 308 mark this month and Peshawar has been among the worst-hit districts in the province.

&ldquo;Seven districts are the high-risk ones including Swabi with 52, Mardan with 45, Charsadda with 34, Battagram with 21, Haripur with 17 and Bajaur with 11&rdquo;, said an official of the health department who added that dengue had been reported in other districts as well.

&ldquo;Chitral Lower has 8, Nowshera 8, Mansehra 7, Malakand 7, Abbottabad 7, Kohat 6, Bannu 6, DI Khan 5, Lakki Marwat 4, Swat 3, Dir Lower 3, Dir Upper 2, Khyber 2, and Hangu and Torghar have reported one case each&rdquo;, he said.

On September 1, the health department had issued a warning for susceptible districts, cautioning about the potential escalation of dengue cases.

The focal points of the dengue cases appear to be Peshawar and Mardan districts. They have prompted a thorough oversight across all districts including the tribal regions.

The health department has communicated a directive to the district health officers of all Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa districts in this regard.

In April, a high-level 13-member committee had been formed by the government to implement the 2023 dengue action plan across the province.

Talking to The Express Tribune, an official of the health department said that, last year, 15,000 cases of dengue had been reported from the Khyber tribal district alone.

&ldquo;This week, 126 dengue tests were conducted of which 14 have come back positive. As a result, special plans have been finalized to eliminate mosquito larvae in high-risk districts of the province&rdquo;, said the official, adding that the 13-member committee will monitor the overall arrangements and measures taken for dengue control.

The K-P Chief Secretary is the head of the committee and a formal notification was issued by the health department in this regard.

As per the notification, the K-P health secretary, LG secretary, the home and tribal affairs secretary, and the secretaries of higher education, information, irrigation and public health engineering as well as others are members of the high-level committee.

New rules and regulations have been introduced for the dengue action plan. As per these rules, a provincial oversight committee will monitor the implementation of the action plan.

&ldquo;The oversight committee will submit its report to the health secretary on coordination with other departments, available resources, effective implementation of the action plan and the holding of regular meetings&rdquo;, said the official.

It is worth mentioning here that, due to the lack of effective policies on the part of the local government and the previous two provincial governments, K-P has in the past been gripped by a large scale dengue outbreak which has killed dozens.

Last week federal health minister lauded the efforts made by the K-P province to curb the spread of dengue. He urged other provinces to follow in the footsteps of the K-P in combating dengue.

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue surge jeopardises anti-polio efforts</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2437476/dengue-surge-jeopardises-anti-polio-efforts</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2437476/dengue-surge-jeopardises-anti-polio-efforts#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 23 Sep 23 19:33:44 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2437476</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Health dept withholds sanitary workers patrol amid rising cases]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The District Health Authority&#39;s (DHA) decision to withhold the services of sanitary patrol workers has loomed ominously over the forthcoming anti-polio campaign, slated to begin on October 2.

This unforeseen turn of events has triggered a sense of urgency, compelling health officials to swiftly find a solution to this pressing issue. In response to the alarming spread of dengue, the health department has formally communicated to all responsible tehsil health in-charges, stressing that the resources dedicated to combating dengue cannot be diverted to support the impending anti-polio campaign.

Consequently, the department is now calling upon a fresh cadre of workers, alongside other government employees, to step forward voluntarily for the polio campaign without any financial burden on the government.

Read &lsquo;Polio-free Punjab still a distant dream&rsquo;

The repercussions of this decision have reverberated through the ranks of anti-polio campaign leaders and department officials, igniting a sense of urgency. With just 11 days remaining until the anti-polio campaign&#39;s kick-off, a formidable challenge presents itself - the recruitment of up to 10,000 workers to fulfil critical roles. This task demands meticulous preparation and worker allocation within a mere 72-hour window.

Rawalpindi deputy district health officer has disseminated this pivotal letter to all stakeholders, leaving those responsible for the anti-polio campaign pondering their next moves. While consideration has been given to enlisting other government employees for the cause, securing such a substantial workforce on short notice remains a daunting prospect.

To address this critical juncture, the deputy commissioner has summoned a crucial meeting to chart the path forward. Notably, the district administration has cited the rampant dengue outbreak as the reason behind the reluctance to allocate anti-dengue workers to the polio campaign.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>31 new dengue cases confirmed</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2435862/31-new-dengue-cases-confirmed</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2435862/31-new-dengue-cases-confirmed#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 14 Sep 23 18:59:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2435862</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[DC Rafia Haider personally went into the field to review anti-dengue activity, gathered data from 1,034 locations]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[As many as 31 new cases of dengue were reported in the city during the past 24 hours, while anti-dengue efforts were also ramped up. 

Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider personally went into the field to review anti-dengue activity on Thursday, besides gathering data from 1,034 locations. Dengue larvae were found in two houses and promptly sprayed. 

DC Haider engaged with residents to discuss the performance of anti-dengue teams and assessed their micro-plans and tally sheets. She also emphasized the importance of clearing weeds and grass from vacant plots in the area. 

Separately, in UC-72 Anarkali, Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue Adnan Rashid warned the DDH about duty delays, while Additional Deputy Commissioner Finance and Planning Umar Maqbool assessed anti-dengue activities in UC-115 Samanabad. Larvae were discovered in L-Block and H-Block, leading to immediate spraying in affected houses.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue spreads unabated in Punjab</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2435691/dengue-spreads-unabated-in-punjab</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2435691/dengue-spreads-unabated-in-punjab#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 13 Sep 23 19:20:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Adnan Lodhi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2435691</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[130 new cases of break-bone fever recorded in a day]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The daily tally of new dengue patients registered in Punjab rose to 130 on Wednesday.

The figure is the highest for a day during the ongoing year.

However, the officials responsible insisted that the situation was normal despite the average number of patients contracting dengue fever doubling as compared yo the previous week.

According to health officials, at least 63 confirmed dengue patients were brought to hospitals in Lahore in the past 24 hours.

The disease has reached 16 districts of the province, but Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan remain at the highest risk.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Ali Jan Khan said 165 patients were admitted to the dengue wards in the province, including 70 in Lahore, while the number of hospital beds allocated for the providing the best treatment facilities to them was 2,678. He said no death caused by the fever had been confirmed in Punjab this years.

The official appealed to the people to cooperate with the health department to curb dengue in the province.

The total number of dengue cases recorded in Punjab this year has increased to 2,270.

According to the Punjab Dengue Monitoring Control Room, the disease has reached 16 districts of Punjab and is now spreading to small towns from the populous areas.

&quot;We are continuously telling the health authorities to consider the alarming situation but the officials responsible are ignoring the threat of dengue. We have received 945 confirmed dengue patients in Lahore this year,&quot; a senior health official told The Express Tribune.

The number of patients registered in Rawalpindi is 463, including 31 confirmed on Wednesday.

The third big district at a high risk is Multan, where 269 patients have been registered this year, including 10 in the past 24 hours.

The districts affected by dengue are Gujranwala, Chakwal, Sheikhupura, Attock, Muzaffargarh, Okara, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Nankana Sahib, Narowal, Bahawalpur, Toba Tek Singh, Khanewal and Chinot.

Communicable Disease Control Programme Director Dr Yadullah Ali also sought to assure the public that they need not panic.

He said highest ratio of patients for a day had been confirmed in the province but the figures were quiet low as compared to other countries.

He said there had been 50,000 dengue patients confirmed in India during the season, while 38 of them had died. There have also been thousands of cases and several fatalities in Bangladesh and other countries in the region.

The doctor said the peak season of dengue in Punjab was from August to November.

&quot;We must remember that we witnessed record rains in Lahore this year,&quot; he said, adding that the affliction of about 2,200 people amongst a population of 140 million and their successful treatment showed that the authorities could cope with the health risk.

An official said there was a need for zero tolerance against negligence in eradication of dengue larvae from their hot spots by the local administration of Lahore and other districts at risk.

A senior health official said while speaking to The Express Tribune that all departments having a role in anti-dengue campaigns should be alerted and the caretaker government should take action against negligence of officials in this regard.

He said the district administration officials in whose jurisdiction the number of dengue patients was continuously increasing should be held accountable.

He said the district health departments and local governments of Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi and some other areas had not made timely arrangements during the monsoon rains to curb dengue. As a result the number of patients in the hospitals is increasing.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue virus turns into epidemic in Rawalpindi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2435703/dengue-virus-turns-into-epidemic-in-rawalpindi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2435703/dengue-virus-turns-into-epidemic-in-rawalpindi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 13 Sep 23 19:26:00 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Imran Asghar]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2435703</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[47 new cases were confirmed with 23 additional test results pending]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Dengue fever has surged to alarming levels in Rawalpindi and Cantonment areas with more than 485 patients affected, overwhelming local healthcare resources.

Despite efforts from an expert team from Lahore, the vector-borne disease continues to spread unabated. To combat this growing crisis, the administration has issued an alert to safeguard children from dengue fever, mandating the use of full-sleeved shirts in educational institutions.

In the past 24 hours alone, 47 new cases have been confirmed, with 23 additional test results pending. All 47 people who turned to the hospitals during the past 24 hours had high fever. Eleven critical patients are currently receiving treatment in the High Dependency Unit.

Delving into the details, District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control (DCEPC) Dr Sajjad Mehmood said: &ldquo;Among the new cases, 17 patients had arrived from the Potohar town urban area, nine from the Municipal Corporation, four from Chaklala cantonment, and three from the Taxila cantonment area.&rdquo; He added that September was critical for dengue spread and urged the residents to adopt precautionary measures to avoid mosquito bites.

The health department had initially aimed to confine dengue mosquitoes to hotspot areas to protect citizens, but the situation has spiralled out of control.

Experts expressed their concern over the escalating patient numbers and limited resources available to the district administration. &ldquo;Allied hospitals are under immense pressure due to the surge in cases,&rdquo; they said.

Intensified efforts

In response, the administration plans to intensify efforts to curb dengue mosquito breeding and movement. These measures include fogging and awareness campaigns, especially among schoolchildren, who are advised to wear full shalwar kameez instead of knickers and half-sleeve shirts. The health department teams will visit schools to educate teachers and students about dengue prevention.

The district administration emphasises close coordination between the health department and allied hospitals, with 419 patients already recovered due to improved strategies.

Cases registered

Moreover, the District Health Authority (DHA) lodged 59 FIRs and sealed 10 premises for violations of anti-dengue SOPs during the last 24 hours. The city has identified 25 areas as high-risk zones for dengue, heightening the level of concern.

DCEPC Dr Sajjad Mehmood said the health department, in collaboration with allied departments, has issued tickets to 15 individuals.

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Directives issued to prevent spread of dengue fever</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2435081/directives-issued-to-prevent-spread-of-dengue-fever</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2435081/directives-issued-to-prevent-spread-of-dengue-fever#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 09 Sep 23 21:47:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2435081</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Need to launch a public awareness campaign regarding dengue prevention stressed]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Commissioner Karachi, Muhammad Saleem Rajput, has taken notice of rising cases of dengue fever across all districts in the city and issued strict directives to all the deputy commissioners to collaborate with the health department, dengue control programme, vector-borne diseases teams, and other relevant agencies to initiate disinfectant spraying campaign immediately targeting larval breeding sites. 

Additionally, he emphasised the need to launch a public awareness campaign regarding dengue prevention.

During a meeting chaired by the commissioner at the deputy commissioner east office, it was reported that spraying operations have already commenced in the district. 

Rajput also issued directives to develop a schedule for these activities and communicate it to the relevant parties.

The meeting concluded with a decision to extend the spraying campaign to cover areas such as rivers, nurseries, tyre shops, and other locations where water accumulates. 

The commissioner also discussed a range of other civic concerns with the deputy commissioners. 

He also directed the DCs to take proactive measures to control prices, curb hoarding, discourage encroachments, address traffic challenges, and combat street crimes within their respective districts.

Furthermore, he stressed the need to enhance the efficiency of public service departments to provide better assistance to citizens and promptly resolve their complaints. 

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue threat draws lacklustre response</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2434108/dengue-threat-draws-lacklustre-response</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2434108/dengue-threat-draws-lacklustre-response#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Sep 23 20:46:35 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ADNAN LODHI]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2434108</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Highest weekly tally of cases recorded in a year]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Punjab health authorities has yet to fumigate and regularly monitor all dengue hotspots in the big cities of the province despite an increase in the number of patients registered daily.

Dedicated dengue wards and high dependency units have also not been set up in the hospitals.

According to official record, at least 419 confirmed patients of dengue fever were brought to hospitals across the province during the past week.

Lahore accounted for about half of the 43 dengue cases confirmed in the province during the past 24 hours.

Health officials have warned that the dengue spread has reached an alarming level in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and some other districts.

On the other hand, both the caretaker health ministers of Punjab had claimed in a meeting a couple of days ago that the situation was under control.

The assertion came despite the increasing number of dengue patients under treatment in the hospitals.

The record tally of 419 dengue patients registered in the past week was the highest for the period during the ongoing year.

The highest figure for a day was 90, recorded on August 31, followed by 84 a day later.

However, situation during the previous week had been normal with an average of less than 30 patients registered across the province daily.

A senior health official told The Express Tribune that the number of patients had risen three-fold in one week. He said the provincial capital was in the grip of dengue but the health authorities were still claiming normality.

The official said the situation warranted an intervention from the higher authorities. 

A meeting of the district health authorities&rsquo; chief executive officers (CEOs) should be convened at the provincial level to discuss a strategy to cope with dengue fever, he said, adding that the district and town administrations should be instructed to step up the preventive measures. 

The official suggested that local emergency committees should be activated in all cites, the officers concerned should conduct field visits to oversee the ant-dengue measures and steps to spread awareness about prevention of the disease should be launched.

He lamented that the dengue prevention workers in Lahore and other districts were not identifying larva breeding sites. Even the tyre markers around the cities have not been forced to take anti-dengue measures to curb the risk to citizens from pooled water.

The official said the performance in this regard of senior officers of the health and district administration has so far been limited to holding meetings.

The number of fresh dengue fever patients confirmed in the past 24 hours in Lahore was 20, Rawalpindi 11 and Faisalabad three.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Ali Jan Khan confirmed that 1,458 patients suffering from dengue fever had been registered in the province during the ongoing year with no death caused by the disease reported. 

The tally includes 562 cases record in Lahore, 271 in Rawalpindi, 166 in Multan, 112 in Faisalabad and 54 in Gujranwala. 

At least 77 dengue patients are currently admitted to hospitals across Punjab for dengue treatment, including 31 in the provincial capital.

The provincial secretary said 2,678 beds had been allocated 36 district hospitals for the dengue patients. 

He requested the people of the province to cooperate with the anti-dengue teams formed by the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Regular anti-dengue measures stressed in twin cities</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2434141/regular-anti-dengue-measures-stressed-in-twin-cities</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2434141/regular-anti-dengue-measures-stressed-in-twin-cities#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Sep 23 21:02:17 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2434141</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[19 private hospitals mandated to set up wards to deal with rising cases]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Caretaker Provincial Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Dr Jamal Nasir on Monday directed the officials of the twin cities&rsquo; administration to take collaborative anti-dengue measures at least 3 to 4 days per week in the bordering areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Presiding over a meeting to review anti-dengue arrangements along with Rawalpindi Commissioner Laiqat Ali Chatta, he said anti-dengue activities must not be compromised due to the ongoing anti-polio campaign.

Meanwhile, Liaqat Ali Chatta said 19 private hospitals had been mandated to establish dengue wards to deal with the increasing number of patients. He directed the officials of the Health Care Commission to visit the private hospitals and ensure the setting up of dengue wards.

He further directed the officials to expedite anti-dengue surveillance and ensure strict compliance to anti-dengue SOPs. Similarly, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board Station Commander Brigadier Salman while taking part in the meeting directed the officials to ensure the cleanliness of offices, in-house and outdoor settings and leave no place wet or with stagnant water as puddles of water were the leading cause of mosquito breeding.

He also directed the officials of the relevant departments to cut grass, bushes and trees in the educational institutions.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Health dept fears multifold increase in dengue cases</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2433986/health-dept-fears-multifold-increase-in-dengue-cases</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2433986/health-dept-fears-multifold-increase-in-dengue-cases#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 03 Sep 23 18:05:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2433986</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[A fine of Rs 34,53,000 has been imposed over violations of dengue SOPs]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Rawalpindi district administration registered 2,225 FIRs on violations of anti-dengue standard operating procedures (SOP) from January 1 to date in various areas of the Rawalpindi district, the district coordinator for the Epidemics Prevention and Control department said on Sunday.

Giving details of the punitive actions, Dr Sajjad Mehmood of the district health authority said that the district administration, in collaboration with allied departments, had sealed 466 premises and issued tickets to 718 others. A fine of Rs 34,53,000 has been imposed over violations of dengue SOPs so far this year.

Dr Mehmood said that 261 confirmed cases had been reported in the district this year. &ldquo;Currently, 80 patients are admitted to the city&#39;s allied hospitals. Of those, 50 are confirmed cases.&rdquo;

He added that no patient had died so far while 195 patients had been discharged.

During the last 24 hours, 16 more cases were reported. Eight premises were sealed during that time, with 69 new FIRs registered and six tickets issued.

He said that the number of dengue patients had increased gradually in Rawalpindi during the week. Five to six patients were reported daily last week which has increased to 15 to 18 patients daily this week, he said. &ldquo;If the situation persists, it can increase to 70 patients daily in September,&rdquo; he warned.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue larvae detected at medical varsity</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2433842/dengue-larvae-detected-at-medical-varsity</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2433842/dengue-larvae-detected-at-medical-varsity#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 02 Sep 23 20:16:58 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Qaiser Shirazi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2433842</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Third-party survey reveals nine patrol workers absent from duty]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[In a third-party survey, heavy dengue larvae have been discovered at nine locations within the Rawalpindi Medical University, an institution actively involved in dengue prevention efforts. 

This alarming finding has created significant concerns within the health department.

Similarly, for the third time in a third-party survey, heavy dengue larvae have been detected in five areas of Government Post Graduate Waqarun Nisa Girls College.

Following the discovery of dengue larvae in Medical University and Waqarun Nisa Girls College, along with the emergence of 17 dengue cases in Chamanzar Colony, Union Council (UC) 45 has been designated as a hotspot for dengue cases.

The third-party survey also revealed that nine sanitary patrol workers, responsible for the anti-dengue campaign, were absent from their duties. These individuals, including Shazia Bibi, Sahar Tanveer, Fauzia Akhtar, Nazia Jabeen, Saima Saleem, Anita, Haider Ali, and Muhammad Owais, have been issued show-cause notices, had their salaries withheld, and have been dismissed from their positions.

In response to the discovery of dengue larvae at Waqarun Nisa Girls College and Medical University, show-cause notices have also been issued to the college principal and the focal person.

The dengue larvae were detected in areas such as the cafeteria&#39;s sewage lines, standing rainwater on the lawn, water near the tube well, and water from room coolers installed in the university.

District Civil Defense Officer Talib Hussain confirmed that the heavy dengue larvae found in the third-party survey at Medical University and Waqarun Nisa College have been eradicated, and spraying and fogging operations have been initiated in these areas. 

A report detailing the recovery of dengue larvae, non-compliance with anti-dengue standard operating procedures (SOPs), and the continuous absence of workers from their duties has been submitted to the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner, he said.

Concerned about the daily increase in dengue cases and the continuous spread of dengue larvae, the deputy commissioner has expedited the third-party survey and ordered the filing of cases against those responsible for spreading dengue.

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2023.]]>
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			</item><item>
			<title>Rising dengue cases set off alarm bells</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2433602/rising-dengue-cases-set-off-alarm-bells</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2433602/rising-dengue-cases-set-off-alarm-bells#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Sep 23 21:04:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2433602</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[2,600-plus hospital beds reserved for patients as 37 new cases emerge]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[As many as 37 new dengue virus cases were confirmed in the provincial metropolis on Friday. According to Health department sources, dengue larvae were found at 1,185 locations in the past 24 hours, with multiple patients under treatment in different hospitals of the city. 

Various squads conducted surveillance at indoor and outdoor locations to detect dengue larvae during the last 24 hours and destroyed larvae at 1,185 locations in Punjab. Sources said that on Friday, 37 new patients of dengue fever were reported in Lahore. Moreover, 2,678 beds have been allocated for dengue patients in hospitals across Punjab, the Health department said. 

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Lahore Rafia Haider, Additional Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners are continuously performing spot checks to monitor the performance of dengue teams in the wake of increasing cases after the rains. The inspection of 5,000 locations would be ensured on a daily basis, she said. 

Meanwhile, in a statement, DC Haider announced that dengue surveillance would be increased and tasked all town officers to meet the set targets on a daily basis. She vowed to monitor various areas in the city with swift and strict surveillance.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Not all dengue patients need mega-platelets: official</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2433699/not-all-dengue-patients-need-mega-platelets-official</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2433699/not-all-dengue-patients-need-mega-platelets-official#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Sep 23 22:05:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Dua Abbas]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2433699</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority secretary advises mega-platelets use only in extreme cases]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[People in general and doctors in particular have been advised against unnecessary transfusion of mega platelets for dengue patients. 

Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) Secretary Dr Durenaz Jamal has stated that it is not necessary to administer mega-platelets to dengue patients. 

Talking to The Express Tribune she said even individuals with reduced platelet counts can be adequately treated using normal platelets. Medical experts should refrain from recommending mega-platelets for every dengue patient. 

Dr Durenaz Jamal also mentioned that due to the increase in dengue cases, SBTA has mobilised all blood banks. Blood banks have been instructed to store platelets and prevent their wastage. Platelets can be stored for only four to five days at a specific temperature. Mega-unit platelets are only administered when a dengue or malaria patient has platelet counts drop below 20,000, and there is a risk of further bleeding.

Both mega-unit and regular platelets have similar effectiveness. A bag of mega-unit platelets costs around Rs46,000, while random donor units are available for Rs28,000. The fundamental difference lies in the fact that mega-unit platelets are prepared from a single individual&#39;s platelets, whereas random donor platelets require contributions from 5 to 7 individuals.

One mega-unit is equivalent to 5 to 7 units of random donor platelets. Random donor units have the capability to increase platelet counts by 10,000, while mega-unit platelets can raise counts by 50,000 to 70,000.

Several blood banks in Karachi, including Husaini Blood Bank, Aga Khan Blood Bank, Liaquat National Blood Bank, Ziauddin Blood Bank, Jinnah, and South Hospitals, possess apheresis machines. These machines are used to prepare mega-unit platelets, but their cartridges are relatively expensive, selling in the market for 30,000 to 34,000 rupees. These cartridges cannot be reused after a single application.

Pakistan is one of the countries where blood donations are relatively low. However, mega-platelets are not the sole solution to dengue. Last year, when dengue cases surged, many doctors were compelled to arrange for mega-platelets for patients. Doctors should educate the public that if platelet transfusion is recommended, random donor platelets can also be used.

Mega-platelets are not necessary. In the past, cases were seen where patients had platelet counts exceeding 20,000, but doctors still insisted on mega-platelets for them. An individual should ideally have around 120,000 platelets. In cases where people receive unnecessary platelet transfusions due to the negligence and lack of seriousness among citizens, it can lead to blood clotting within their bodies.

When doctors are treating a patient, they understand the sensitivity of the matter and perform CBC tests daily based on the patient&#39;s condition. In such situations, when fear spreads among the public, opportunistic individuals benefit. Those involved in the illegal trade of substandard platelets should face legal action. Citizens should consult with medical experts before opting for mega-platelet transfusions because the dengue virus typically subsides in about 11 days, allowing the body to regenerate platelets naturally.

Regarding this matter, Dr. Natasha Ali, an expert in hematology at Aga Khan University Hospital, mentioned that not every dengue patient requires mega-platelets. If a patient&#39;s platelet count drops below 10,000, and they are continuously bleeding internally or externally, then mega-platelet transfusion may be recommended. In most cases, the quality of platelets from random donors does not impact the patient. In such cases, doctors are compelled to recommend mega-platelets when a patient&#39;s condition is particularly critical.

Dr. Zeeshan Hussain, a hematologist at Hamdard Hospital, stated that 6 to 7 mini-unit platelets are considered equivalent to 1 mega-unit platelet. Studies do not conclusively prove that mega-platelets are always necessary. The objective is to replenish the platelet deficiency in the patient&#39;s body. Whether 6 mini-units are administered or a single mega-unit, the effect is essentially the same.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2023.]]>
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			<title>18 dengue virus cases surface in metropolis</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2432930/18-dengue-virus-cases-surface-in-metropolis</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2432930/18-dengue-virus-cases-surface-in-metropolis#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 Aug 23 20:46:55 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2432930</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Field squad destroys larvae at 1,561 places]]>
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				<![CDATA[At least 18 new dengue virus cases were reported in the provincial metropolis on Monday.

The Health department sources said besides the dengue virus cases, 1,561 larvae spots were reported in the last 24 hours, with many patients under treatment in different hospitals of the city.

Various squads conducted surveillance at indoor and outdoor places to detect dengue larvae during the last 24 hours. The anti-dengue squad destroyed dengue larvae at 1,561 places in the province during continuing surveillance.

Sources said on Monday, 18 patients of dengue fever were reported in Lahore and the number of dengue patients in the metropolis has risen to 322 so far this year. Moreover, 2,678 beds have been allocated for dengue patients in hospitals across Punjab, the Health Department said.

Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider, additional deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners are continuously paying surprise visits to check the performance of dengue teams working on the ground, in the wake of increasing dengue cases after rains.

The DC reviewed the performance of dengue teams in Allama Iqbal, Shalimar and Cantt areas, on Monday. Checking of more than 5,000 places would be ensured on daily basis, she said.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued recently, the DC announced that the number of dengue surveillance could be increased, keeping in mind the rain alerts of the Meteorological department. Issuing directions for controlling dengue, she warned all town officers to surely complete the set targets on a daily basis.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Rising dengue cases ring alarm bells</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2430372/rising-dengue-cases-ring-alarm-bells-1</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2430372/rising-dengue-cases-ring-alarm-bells-1#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 11 Aug 23 21:04:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2430372</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Tally of confirmed dengue patients in Rawalpindi rises to 60]]>
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				<![CDATA[The tally of confirmed dengue patients in Rawalpindi district has surged to 60, prompting concern among health and administrative officials.

According to sources, apart from the allied hospital, private hospitals in the district are also grappling with a rise in dengue patients.

Efforts to manage dengue remain challenging as hospitals struggle to establish essential control measures. Notably, the area with the highest concentration of dengue patients is Union Council 45&rsquo;s Chaman Zar Colony within Rawalpindi City. A recent independent survey uncovered significant dengue larvae infestations across 24 locations in this vicinity.

To combat the situation, the District Health Authority and affiliated departments are actively engaged in anti-dengue initiatives throughout the district. Experts have singled out the months of August, September, and October as particularly hazardous for the proliferation of dengue.

So far 23 cases have been reported in Rawal Town, 12 in Potohar Town, 11 in Chaklala Cantonment, 7 in Rawalpindi Cantonment, 2 in Kotli Sattian, 2 in Pothwar Rural, 1 in Kahuta, 1 in Taxila, and another in Gujarkhan. On Friday alone, the District Health Authority and its associated departments registered 35 FIRs for breaching Dengue SOPs throughout the district. Alongside this, 11 challans were issued, nine premises were sealed, and fines totaling Rs73,000 were levied.

Of these, 26 FIRs were lodged by the District Health Authority Rawalpindi.

Elaborating on the matter, District Coordinator for Epidemic Prevention and Control at the District Health Authority Rawalpindi Dr Sajjad Mehmood emphasised that dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted through the bite of an infected female mosquito.

The prevalence of dengue has become endemic in Rawalpindi district, with cases reported from various parts of the city. Notably affected areas include Gulistan Colony, Dhok Munshi Khan, Chaman Zar, and Dhok Elahi Baksh under the jurisdiction of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12th, 2023..]]>
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			<title>Dengue awareness drive underway</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2418941/dengue-awareness-drive-underway</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2418941/dengue-awareness-drive-underway#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 27 May 23 20:41:22 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category><category><![CDATA[Peshawar]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2418941</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Campaign to prevent the spread of the dengue virus is currently being conducted in 34 districts of K-P]]>
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				<![CDATA[Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department has launched an extensive dengue prevention and control awareness campaign across the province. 

The campaign involves collaborative efforts with attached formations, including Rescue 1122, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), and Civil Defence to implement real-time initiatives and conduct public awareness campaigns. Various activities are currently underway, such as awareness campaigns in schools and colleges, door-to-door campaigns, community-based initiatives, awareness walks, social media campaigns, radio programs, and the dissemination of public awareness messages. 

The campaign to prevent the spread of the dengue virus is currently being conducted in 34 districts of K-P. This week alone, approximately 80,000 pamphlets, 3,100 banners, and 2,250 brochures have been distributed. Dengue awareness campaigns have been launched in 274 schools and 138 colleges, alongside successful awareness walks and informative activities conducted in collaboration with the respective district administrations. Secretary of Relief, Abdul Basit emphasized the significance of comprehensive guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) provided by the relief department to all relevant authorities and district administrations. 

These measures have been implemented to effectively control the potential outbreak of dengue. Clear responsibilities have been assigned to each stakeholder involved in the campaign, with the additional deputy commissioner relief leading the efforts in the respective districts. Basit reiterated that the dengue campaign is a comprehensive and coordinated effort aimed at raising awareness about dengue. 

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>K-P launches awareness drive to fight dengue</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2417916/k-p-launches-awareness-drive-to-fight-dengue</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2417916/k-p-launches-awareness-drive-to-fight-dengue#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 21 May 23 19:52:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category><category><![CDATA[Peshawar]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2417916</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Rescue 1122, PDMA, DCs and Civil Defence take part in campaign]]>
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				<![CDATA[A collaborative effort has been initiated by Rescue 1122, PDMA, district administrations and Civil Defence to raise awareness about dengue prevention and control measures across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

Various activities, including door-to-door campaigns, community-based initiatives, awareness walks, and social media campaigns, are currently underway in this regard.

The campaign to prevent the spread of the dengue virus is actively taking place in multiple districts, including Kohat, Lower Dir, Chitral, Bajaur, Mansehra, and Swat.

Secretary Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department, Abdul Basit on Sunday said that the relief department has provided comprehensive guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to all relevant authorities and district administrations to effectively control the potential outbreak of dengue.

Clear responsibilities have been assigned to each stakeholder involved. He further highlighted that the additional deputy commissioner relief is leading the campaign in the districts.

He emphasized that the dengue campaign is a comprehensive and coordinated effort aimed at raising awareness about dengue.

The campaign includes public awareness and education, community engagement through organizing meetings and workshops to disseminate information about dengue and engage the community in prevention activities.

Moreover, awareness materials such as brochures, pamphlets, and other informative materials are being distributed in public places to raise awareness and promote preventive actions.

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22nd, 2023.]]>
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			<title>ICCI, health officials join hands to raise dengue awareness</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2414026/icci-health-officials-join-hands-to-raise-dengue-awareness</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2414026/icci-health-officials-join-hands-to-raise-dengue-awareness#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 28 Apr 23 05:32:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Islamabad]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2414026</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Traders vow to work with local authorities to curb spread of vectorborne virus]]>
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				<![CDATA[Dengue fever kills many people every year in Pakistan and there is a greater need to create maximum awareness to save people from this disease. The dengue cases normally increase in September/October and it is our responsibility to work with the local health authorities to control the spread of the dengue virus in its peak season, said Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari while talking to District Health Officer, Islamabad Dr Zaeem Zia during his visit to ICCI.

Bakhawari said that as per World Health Organisation (WHO), 62 deaths were reported in Pakistan from January to September 2022 from a total confirmed cases of over 25,900 dengue virus. About 74 per cent of these cases were reported in September 2022 which shows the country and the federal capital is vulnerable to this virus.

He stressed that DHO Islamabad and all relevant health authorities should accelerate efforts to create maximum awareness in the people about this dangerous virus to save their lives. He assured that ICCI in collaboration with Market Associations would work with DHO Islamabad for organising awareness sessions on the dengue virus and its preventive measures in the business community and the citizens in the federal capital.

He said that ICCI is also ready to provide volunteers to DHO Islamabad for an awareness campaign. Dr Zia briefed the ICCI president about the plans of his organisation to save people from the dengue virus in the capital. He said that ICCI should join hands with DHO Islamabad for raising awareness about the dengue virus through various campaigns including a cycling event and UNICEF would also be engaged in the campaign.

He said that DHO Islamabad intends to create a sustainable volunteer group in Islamabad that would be provided proper training to cope with the dengue virus. He said that an option on DHO Islamabad&rsquo;s website would be provided to get online feedback from the citizens. It was agreed that DHO Islamabad and ICCI president would visit various hospitals to see the arrangements to cope with the dengue fever.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Dengue stalks citizens after rain spell</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2412329/dengue-stalks-citizens-after-rain-spell</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2412329/dengue-stalks-citizens-after-rain-spell#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Apr 23 04:40:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Afzal Talib]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Lahore]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2412329</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Field teams instructed to submit daily reports]]>
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				<![CDATA[With dozens of dengue cases reported in the provincial capital, the authorities have instructed officers of the departments concerned to go to the field to destroy larvae at hotspots. According to the data released by the health authorities, there have been 28 confirmed cases of dengue fever reported in the city during the past few weeks.

During the last 48 hours, dengue larvae were found at 289 spots in Lahore. Earlier, Lahore Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider reportedly had reprimanded the officials concerned over dengue larvae not being detected in areas across the metropolis despite the increasing number of patients. According to sources, teams of officials were directed to take action to destroy dengue larvae through doorto-door surveillance and in open areas.

The officials were directed to target the localities deemed hotspots of the disease and submits reports on a daily basis. The threat of dengue has risen after rains during the past few days left water stagnating and dengue larvae not being promptly eliminated. In the situation, the number of dengue patients in government and private hospitals has increased.

Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider had expressed displeasure over a report submitted to her regarding the performance of teams deputed to eradicate dengue. She said the number of patients was increasing, but the staff were unable to trace the dengue larvae. She directed the officers to go to the field instead of sitting in the offices and preparing reports. As per the reports, at least 30,444 points in nine towns in Lahore city have been declared as hotspots. A target of uninterrupted checking of the places has been given to destroy dengue larvae in stagnant water.

So far this year, 588 suspected dengue cases have been reported across the district during the ongoing year. Dengue larvae were found at 1,673 indoor and 140 outdoor locations. The affected areas include Mughalpura, Dharmapura, Garhi Shahu, Lahore Railway Station, Singhpura, Sabzi Mandi, Badami Bagh, Kasurpura, Taksali Gate, Lohari, Masti Gate, Mustafaabad, Harbanspura, Samanabad Railway Station, Gulshan Ravi, Mazang, Bastami Road, Krishnanagar, Ichhra and Cantt. Warnings and notices have been issued to 1,755 people regarding factories and houses where dengue larvae were found and cases have been registered against 14 people.

The district administration has carried out spray at 45 places to kill dengue mosquitoes. An official said that besides hotspots, open areas, houses, junkyards, tire shops and graveyards are being checked for the larvae. According to a health expert, Dr Abdul Rauf, it is essential to adopt preventive measures against the proliferation of dengue fever.

He advised the citizens to avoid dengue mosquitoes by wear full-sleeved clothes and using mosquito repellent lotions. Symptoms of dengue include headache, high fever, pain in bones and low immunity. Along with the consumption of immunity-boosting food, the citizens should drink sufficient water and take medicines advised by the doctors, said Dr Abdul Rauf. In view of the possibility of rain in the coming days, dengue is likely to spread.]]>
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			<title>Dengue-breeding properties to be red-flagged</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2410355/dengue-breeding-properties-to-be-red-flagged</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2410355/dengue-breeding-properties-to-be-red-flagged#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Apr 23 20:05:45 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rawalpindi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2410355</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Govt asks citizens to obtain NOC before sale of marked plots]]>
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				<![CDATA[Acting swiftly after the confirmation of 158 dengue positive hotspots in the garrison city, the district administration has decided to red-flag the vacant plots, which are littered with breeding grounds for the disease-carrying mosquitoes, besides making it mandatory to obtain a no-objection certificate from the deputy commissioner for sale of such plots.

In a meeting of the Divisional Emergency Response Committee chaired by Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha, Chief Executive Officer Health Dr Ansar Ishaq told those in attendance that 291,739 hotspots were checked during the outdoor vector surveillance in the last month, out of which 158 found positive and the required action was taken.

&ldquo;Similarly, 628,038 houses were checked during the indoor surveillance, out of which 1,137 houses came out positive and required action was taken,&rdquo; he said.

The Rawalpindi commissioner said that two confirmed cases of dengue have been reported in the district so far, but we have to control it from the beginning.

He directed that all the departments should pay full attention to larva elimination as the current weather is extremely suitable for its breeding. &ldquo;If it is not controlled now, it will be impossible to control the adult mosquito,&rdquo; he said.

The commissioner strictly directed that there was no room for any kind of carelessness or misrepresentation in the measures taken to eliminate the dengue mosquitoes.

He directed that immediate arrangements should be made for the disposal of solid waste. &ldquo;All vacant plots in the city have been identified and the owners of these plots have been served notices by the deputy commissioner,&rdquo; he said and added that in case of non-compliance, such plots will be red-marked.

&ldquo;Sale and purchase of red-marked plots will be subject to the NOC of the deputy commissioner.&rdquo;

The commissioner further said that in view of the current rains, special attention should be given to the field activities and drainage arrangements should be made immediately.

&ldquo;Apart from this, attention should be paid to the surveillance of the cemeteries and parks where there are weeds and there is a risk of water accumulation,&rdquo; he said.

Chattha directed that teams appointed for dengue surveillance should try to control the growth of dengue larvae by checking graveyards and other places on a daily basis.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>K-P readies plan to combat dengue</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2410214/k-p-readies-plan-to-combat-dengue</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2410214/k-p-readies-plan-to-combat-dengue#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 05 Apr 23 20:39:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2410214</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[15,000 cases were reported from Khyber tribal district alone last year]]>
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				<![CDATA[A high level 13-member committee has been formed by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government to implement the dengue action plan 2023 across the province.

Talking to The Express Tribune an official of the health department said that last year 15,000 cases of dengue were reported from Khyber tribal district alone. 

This year so far 752 cases have been reported in the province despite the fact that full-fledged hot weather is still to arrive in the K-P province.

&ldquo;This week 126 dengue tests were conducted of which 14 came back positive. As a result special plans have been finalized to eliminate mosquito larvae in high-risk districts of the province,&rdquo; said the official, adding that the 13-member committee will monitor the overall arrangements and measures taken for dengue control.

Chief secretary will be the head of the committee and a formal notification has been issued by the health department in this regard.

As per the notification, health secretary, LG secretary, secretary home and tribal affairs, secretary higher education, secretary information, irrigation, public health engineering and others are members of the high-level committee.

New rules and regulations have been introduced for the dengue action plan. As per these rules, provincial oversight committee will monitor the implementation of the action plan.

&ldquo;The oversight committee will submit its report to secretary health about coordination with other departments, available resources, effective implementation of the action plan and holding of regular meetings,&rdquo; said the official.

It is worth mentioning here that due to the lack of effective policies on the part of the local government and the previous two provincial governments, K-P was gripped by a large scale dengue outbreak which killed dozens.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 6th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Funds awaited: Dengue may surge as govt delays funding</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2407020/funds-awaited-dengue-may-surge-as-govt-delays-funding</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2407020/funds-awaited-dengue-may-surge-as-govt-delays-funding#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 19 Mar 23 19:09:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Wisal Yousafzai]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2407020</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Sources predict a provincial epidemic]]>
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				<![CDATA[As the government grapples with burgeoning public expenditure amidst a deepening financial crisis, a delay in funding for dengue prevention risks instigating a health crisis.

According to the Dengue Control Manager, Dr. Qasim Afridi, the government has delayed transferring funds worth Rs350 million for the prevention and awareness campaign for dengue.

This comes as a bolt out of the blue for the health authorities who were expecting further assistance from the government following the recent rise in cases of dengue fever.

&ldquo;Dengue cases usually peak during the months of April and May in K-P, however 10 have already been reported just at the beginning of March,&rdquo; said a source from the Health Department.

While dengue fever poses a threat to the health and safety of all citizens, those residing in areas like Peshawar, Mardan, Haripur, Khyber and Nowshera face a doubled threat given the topography of the regions where standing bodies of glacial water act as breeding grounds for the larvae of the dengue mosquitos.

Therefore, in case preventative measures are not taken beforehand for eliminating the larvae in these regions, the virus risks spreading into other nearby areas.

As Ali Khan, a local from the Palosai area of Peshawar confirmed, &ldquo;A majority of the dengue cases reported from K-P originated in our locality. Why does the government not take the matter seriously,&rdquo; he questioned.

The direness of the situation is evident in the fact that up to 23,000 dengue cases including 18 deaths were reported in K-P last year.

While Dr. Afridi asserts that the healthcare system in K-P is equipped to deal with a dengue epidemic, he still stresses the importance of preventing an outbreak in the first place, since once the disease becomes endemic, it can trigger a crisis beyond the countering capabilities of the hospitals.

Therefore, in order to actualize the preventative goals, the Larva Surveillance campaign had been initiated across the province from January 2023 onwards, with weekly meetings being held involving the Deputy Commissioner and District Health Officer,&rdquo; said Dr Afridi.

In these campaigns locals were educated on the ways in which dengue can be prevented, especially with regards to the usage of mosquito nets and repellants. On a similar note, fogging and spraying was carried out on a large scale to destroy the larva in stagnant water.

Following the government&rsquo;s inability to deliver funds on time, the Larva Surveillance Campaign had to utilize last year&rsquo;s funds worth Rs104 million.

&ldquo;While our teams are educating the general public to the best of our abilities, the government must realize its duties towards the people and must invest in their well-being by transferring the allocated funds in a timely manner,&rdquo; concluded Dr Afridi.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20th, 2023.]]>
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			<title>K-P reactivates dengue action plan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2405172/k-p-reactivates-dengue-action-plan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2405172/k-p-reactivates-dengue-action-plan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Mar 23 04:30:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2405172</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Azam directs health dept to take steps to contain leishmaniasis]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Caretaker Chief Minister, Muhammad Azam Khan, has directed the health department to strictly implement the proposed dengue action plan to prevent a possible outbreak of the dengue virus during the current season.

He emphasized that all relevant departments and entities must fulfill their responsibilities effectively.

Furthermore, the Chief Minister urged authorities to take concrete measures to contain leishmaniasis and other infectious diseases. He also emphasized the need to improve service delivery in the health sector in the newly merged areas, ensuring healthcare facilities are available to local residents.

During a meeting of the health department held on Wednesday, the Chief Minister was briefed in detail about institutional reforms, administrative affairs, development projects, available funds, and other related matters. Attendees included the Advisor to Chief Minister for Health,

Dr. Abid Jameel, Chief Secretary Imdadullah Bosal, Principal Secretary to CM Amjad Ali Khan, administrative secretaries of health, and other relevant departments.

The caretaker Chief Minister stated that health is a priority sector for his government and directed the finance department to ensure the timely provision of required funds for the purchase of emergency medicines and other essential procurements in hospitals. He also emphasized timely completion of health sector projects and providing funds on a priority basis.

The Chief Minister further directed the concerned authorities to complete the ongoing inquiry regarding payments to hospitals working under public-private partnerships, ensuring that the process does not affect service delivery or inconvenience patients.

The meeting also discussed matters related to the Sehat Card program and Medical Teaching Institutions (MTIs). It was decided that a separate meeting would be convened to streamline matters further. The Chief Minister called the Sehat Card program a good initiative for public welfare and emphasized making the entire process transparent and more effective so that maximum benefits of this program could reach the people.

Azam Khan made it clear that all the decisions would be taken to this effect purely on merit and in the best public interest, adding that there is no room for any political consideration in this regard. He remarked that the caretaker government is totally impartial.]]>
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			<title>Measures outlined to combat dengue</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2402688/measures-outlined-to-combat-dengue</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2402688/measures-outlined-to-combat-dengue#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 23 19:30:35 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category><category><![CDATA[Peshawar]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2402688</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Peshawar DC emphasizes cleanliness, public awareness to eradicate disease]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Shah Fahad has directed the relevant departments to take all precautionary measures to eliminate the dengue virus from the city.

Presiding over a meeting of the health department, WSSP, education, local government, district administration and other line departments here at his office, he called for concrete steps to be taken in that regard.

He also directed displaying banners in mosques and union council offices regarding the prevention of dengue and for keeping water tanks clean and ponds covered.

He instructed the assistant commissioners to organize awareness campaigns regarding the disease in their respective areas and organize training for the health department staff besides sensitizing and educating students of private and public schools about dengue in the morning assembly.

In the meeting, the officers gave a detailed briefing about the measures being taken to eradicate and prevent the dengue virus and informed the meeting about the available medicines, equipment, and machinery used to eradicate the dengue virus.

The meeting was informed that the dengue virus was caused by the bite of a female mosquito that lays its eggs in clean water only and it could be averted by keeping the water tanks and ponds covered and by cleaning streets.

Meanwhile, the DC directed WSSP to further improve cleanliness in the city and timely remove garbage and other litter from the streets.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2023.]]>
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			<title>Dengue cases ebb as winter chill sets in</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2392212/dengue-cases-ebb-as-winter-chill-sets-in</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2392212/dengue-cases-ebb-as-winter-chill-sets-in#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 22 19:40:00 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rawalpindi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2392212</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[As per government statistics, the dengue virus affected 4,767 people throughout this dengue season]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[After claiming eight lives across the district, the dangerous dengue mosquito finally relinquished its attacks as no new case of the disease was reported in the Rawalpindi hospitals during the last 24 hours.

According to official sources, no dengue patient is currently admitted to Benazir Bhutto General Hospital (BBGH) and Holy Family Hospital (HFH) except for the district headquarters hospital where a patient is under treatment for the fatal disease.

As per government statistics, the dengue virus affected 4,767 people throughout this dengue season.

District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Ishaq said even though dengue is no longer a concern, the anti-dengue campaign will continue for the following year. 

He said, the dengue wards in the city&rsquo;s three public hospitals will be abolished next week and will be merged with other wards.

On the other hand, the Rawalpindi administration registered two FIRs and sealed three premises for violation of anti-dengue SOPs during the past week. District Coordinator of Epidemics Prevention and Control Dr Sajjad Mehmood on Wednesday said the district administration, in collaboration with departments concerned issued tickets to 31, notices to 287, and imposed a fine of Rs10,000 on violations of dengue SOPs.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2022.]]>
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			<title>Malaria rises as dengue ebbs in K-P</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2390666/malaria-rises-as-dengue-ebbs-in-k-p</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2390666/malaria-rises-as-dengue-ebbs-in-k-p#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 11 Dec 22 18:54:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2390666</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Lakki Marwat carries greatest burden of disease with 1,117 cases]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[With the start of harsh winter across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), dengue has finally died down after making lives miserable for the local residents for several months, but now it has been replaced by malaria.

Official sources told The Express Tribune that in the past two months around 4,419 cases of malaria have been recorded.

They said that Lakki Marwat district carries the greatest burden of the disease with 1,117 cases reported in public hospitals.

It may be mentioned here that dengue gripped the entire province for the past several months and as per the official record 22,000 cases were reported. Dengue claimed 18 lives.

These figures were highly contradicted by locals who claimed that the figures could be four-time higher than the official data as most patients didn&rsquo;t reach public or private hospitals and consulted private clinics where no record is maintained.

&ldquo;Currently there are only six patients under treatment at the hospitals. While 23 new cases of dengue have been reported,&rdquo; said an official, adding that the health department focused mainly on dengue but there is no system in place to check the spread of malaria &mdash; another vector-borne disease.

As far as malaria is concerned, 820 cases were reported in Charsadda, 754 in Hangu, 509 in Bannu, 363 in Dir Lower, 321 in Malakand, 178 in Shangla and 125 in Buner.

By the same token, some districts were less affected by malaria including Peshawar with 46 cases, Torghar 38 cases and Khyber 30 cases.

In five districts of the province namely Koi Palas, Waziristan Lower, Waziristan Upper, Abbotabad and Manshera no cases was reported.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2022.]]>
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			<title>K-P revises Dengue Action Plan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2389408/k-p-revises-dengue-action-plan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2389408/k-p-revises-dengue-action-plan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 03 Dec 22 21:11:43 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category><category><![CDATA[Peshawar]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2389408</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Over 20,000 cases with 18 deaths reported in province this year]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has decided to revise its Dengue Action Plan and introduce some much-needed changes after 20,000 infections with 18 deaths were reported from across the province due to the mosquito-borne disease.

As per the new plan, doctors, lady health workers and paramedics will be trained to diagnose and treat the disease which has been occurring almost on a yearly basis in the province for the past six to seven years. 

Officials told The Express Tribune that work has initiated on a new action plan formally and the government has already shown its willingness to fund it.

&ldquo;Around 38 entomologists have been recruited in the province which enabled the reduction in the number of cases as well as deaths from the disease,&rdquo; an official said, adding that entomologists were required for the tribal districts.

&ldquo;As per the new PC-1, 12 entomologists would be recruited who would be posted at the tribal districts as these districts have been declared high-risk areas,&rdquo; he added. 

As per the official records, 1,173 were reported in tribal districts this year despite the fact that local residents highly contradict the official figures. 

As per the official record, this year more than 20,000 cases were reported in which 2,081 were hospitalised and 18 deaths were also reported. 

Seven districts across the province remained at high risk as in Peshawar, 9,444 cases were reported which makes almost 50 per cent of the total officially reported cases. 

From Mardan 4,109 cases were reported, Haripur 1,173 cases, Nowshera 932 cases, Kohat 910 cases, Bannu 904 cases and Dir Lower 877 cases.

&ldquo;Doctors and other staff will also be properly trained under the new plan in order to enable them to diagnose and treat the deadly virus in a better way,&rdquo; the official maintained. 

&ldquo;The Lady Health Workers (LHW) as well as the sanitation staff have also been included in the training to enable them to better detect the larva of mosquitos and improve hygiene,&rdquo; he noted.

The PC-I will soon be sent to the government for approval.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2022.]]>
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			<title>‘Expired dengue test kits used in Polyclinic’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2389201/expired-dengue-test-kits-used-in-polyclinic</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2389201/expired-dengue-test-kits-used-in-polyclinic#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Dec 22 20:46:24 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Saleh Mughal]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rawalpindi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2389201</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[FIA books two hospital officials, contractor for putting lives of patients at risk]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has booked Polyclinic hospital&rsquo;s former Deputy Executive Director Finance Dr Amanullah and storekeeper Abid Hussain for allegedly using expired dengue diagnostic kits and devices with the connivance of contractor Syed Mohammad Shah, who supplied the kits through M/S Ideal Diagnostic System Rawalpindi.

A formal case was registered against the three after an initial inquiry revealed that the expired diagnostic kits were used for patients suffering from the dengue virus.

In 2019, M/S Ideal Diagnostic System Rawalpindi supplied 27,960 dengue NSI test devices and 7,200 surgery test devices to Polyclinic Islamabad. Of these kits, 8,880 dengue NSI devices and 3,250 dengue serology (IGGIGJ) test devices expired in mid-2021.

It was the contractor&#39;s responsibility to provide new devices in place of the expired as per the terms of the contract. However, the then Deputy Executive Director Finance Dr Amanullah and storekeeper Abid Hussain instead of destroying the expired devices handed the same over to the M/S Ideal Diagnostic System Rawalpindi.

The contractor subsequently supplied the same expired kits to Polyclinic by tampering with the expiry dates and the two Polyclinic officials allowed their use in the hospital before Senior Chief Pharmacist Amna Bibi took custody of the expired test device on December 2, 2021.

A senior drug inspector of Islamabad seized 4,865 expired diagnostic kits from the store of Polyclinic after a comprehensive inquiry.

According to the FIR, Dr Amanullah and storekeeper Abid Hussain misused their powers and allowed the contractor to take the expired kits from the hospital and allowing him to tamper with the official record of stock and daily inventory.

This illegal action of the hospital officials and the contractor not only put the lives of the patients at risk but also benefitted Rs5.5 million to the supplier who was bound to provide new kits in place of the expired ones.

During the inquiry, vendor Syed Mohammad Shah returned the whole sum he earned in profit. In light of the initial inquiry, a case has been registered against Dr Amanullah, Abid Hussain and Syed Mohammad Shah and further investigation is under way.

On the other hand, Rawalpindi&#39;s total tally of dengue has reached 4,749 cases, with the arrival of one more patient during the last 24 hours. District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control, Dr Sajjad Mehmood Friday said that 11 patients have been admitted to three allied hospitals of the city, including six to the Benazir Bhutto Hospital, three to the District Headquarters Hospital and two to the Holy Family Hospital.

He said that out of the total admitted patients, six were confirmed to be dengue positive whereas four belonged to Rawalpindi. In collaboration with allied departments, the health officer added that the district administration had registered five FIRs, sealed three premises, issued Challans to 14, notices to 676, and a fine of Rs627,000 was imposed over violations of anti-dengue SOPs from November 25 to date.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2022.]]>
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			<title>Anti-dengue drive to continue despite decline in cases</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2388525/anti-dengue-drive-to-continue-despite-decline-in-cases</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2388525/anti-dengue-drive-to-continue-despite-decline-in-cases#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 27 Nov 22 20:16:48 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Rawalpindi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2388525</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[In the last 24 hours, only four people fell victim to the dengue virus]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[As the number of patients suffering from the dengue virus has decreased significantly in the hospitals due to the change in the weather, the district health authority has decided to continue the anti-dengue campaign as a dengue surveillance and dengue awareness programme.

In the last 24 hours, only four people fell victim to the dengue virus. The number of dengue patients under treatment in three hospitals in the city has reduced to 26. Out of 500 beds in the dengue wards of three hospitals, 474 beds are currently lying vacant.

So far during this season, the number of people who have lost their lives due to dengue has been seven whereas the number of dengue victims has been 4,739.

At present 12 dengue patients are under treatment at the Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, 10 at the District Headquarters Hospital and four dengue patients are receiving treatment at the Holy Family Hospital.

On the other hand, during the anti-dengue campaign this season, 3,076 FIRs were registered, 694 buildings were sealed, 7,907 challans and 15,621 notices were issued and fines of Rs1.18 million were imposed.

During the dengue surveillance, the dengue larvae recovered from 82 houses and 12 outdoor places during the last 24 hours were immediately destroyed.

At least 92 per cent of the 8,718 hotspots marked for dengue larvae across the district have been cleared and dengue larvae have been eradicated from such places.

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2022.]]>
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			<title>160 dengue patrol workers sacked</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2388374/160-dengue-patrol-workers-sacked</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2388374/160-dengue-patrol-workers-sacked#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 26 Nov 22 19:33:15 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2388374</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Laid-off workers announce to stage sit-in outside DC’s office tomorrow]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The District Health Authority sacked 160 dengue sanitary patrol workers, including 90 female workers, as soon as the threat of dengue was reduced, taking the total tally of sacked workers to 359.

Earlier, another 200 dengue workers were sacked. Those who have been dismissed have complained of not getting their salaries for the past three months. In response, they have announced a sit-in protest to be held on Monday (tomorrow) outside the Deputy Commissioner&#39;s office.

As per sources, their contracts were terminated after which they were issued letters of termination and were dismissed from work. The women in particular complained that there weren&rsquo;t paid and were facing starvation at home.

One of the female workers said that they were threatened with dismissal whenever they demanded their salaries. She added that there were many like her who were fired and were told that they won&rsquo;t be getting any salaries. &ldquo;If you would visit the Chief Executive Officer of the District Health Authority to ask for your hard-earned salary, he will threaten you,&rdquo; she added.

On the other hand, Health officials claim to have run out of funds to pay the salaries of these employees. 

They reiterated that the salaries of all the employees would be paid as soon as the necessary funds are available to them. They further said that they could not pay temporary contract workers at the moment.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2022.]]>
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			<title>39 more dengue cases reported in Karachi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2386552/39-more-dengue-cases-reported-in-karachi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2386552/39-more-dengue-cases-reported-in-karachi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Nov 22 20:23:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[Karachi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2386552</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[As per provincial health department statistics, 39 people contracted dengue virus in Karachi during the last 24 hours]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[As many as 39 more people have fallen prey to the vector-borne dengue virus in Karachi.

As per provincial health department statistics, 39 people contracted dengue virus in Karachi during the last 24 hours.

The statistics revealed that, seven people from Eastern District, six from Central District, nine from Korangi District, eight from Southern District, four from Western District, three from Malir District while two from Kemari District have been affected by dengue virus.

According to the data of the Sindh Health Department, a total of 104 cases were reported across the province in 24 hours. 38 cases have been reported from Hyderabad, three from Jamshoro, four from Tharparkar, nine from Umarkot, two from Mirpur Khas, and nine cases in sukkur were reported. 

Data reveals that, 1903 people have been infected in the province this month, after which the number of cases this year has increased to 20,974 while the number of deaths has increased to 60.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16th, 2022.]]>
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			<title>Don’t politicise dengue issue: minister</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2386078/dont-politicise-dengue-issue-minister</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2386078/dont-politicise-dengue-issue-minister#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 12 Nov 22 19:56:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Lahore]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2386078</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Dr Malik claims effective measures taken during past three months]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Akhtar Malik has regretted politics over the dengue issue and said that the PTI-led government during the last three months has undertaken more effective measures to control dengue as compared to the Hamza Shahbaz government.

Dr Akhtar Malik was addressing a high-level meeting of the Punjab Dengue Monitoring Committee held at the Civil Secretariat on Saturday which was attended amongst others by administrative secretaries.

Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal, divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners attended the meeting via video link.

The health minister said that in a bid to control dengue, 20.4 million surveillances, 185,000 IRS and 7000 fogging activities were undertaken by the Hamza Shahbaz regime while our government during the past three months undertook 79.2 million dengue surveillance, 1.18 million IRS and 100,000 fogging activities across the province which reflected out commitment towards addressing these issues.

He observed that despite heavy flash floods and monsoon dengue situation in the province is much better and only 38 deaths due to dengue were reported in current years as compared to 98 casualties reported during the corresponding period of last year.

The minister asked all deputy commissioners to expedite indoor surveillance activities to prevent aggravation of the dengue situation.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2022.]]>
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			<title>Govt struggles to tackle dengue caseload</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2384258/govt-struggles-to-tackle-dengue-caseload</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2384258/govt-struggles-to-tackle-dengue-caseload#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 02 Nov 22 05:46:59 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ADNAN LODHI]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Lahore]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2384258</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Over 8,500 cases recorded across Punjab in October]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Dengue fever continued to spread in Punjab during the past month, afflicting at least 8,513 people and claiming the lives of nine of them.

The number of fresh cases as well as deaths recorded during October was the highest for a month during the ongoing year.

The anti-dengue campaign of the government in the province is facing challenges due to the increasing number of patients. Official data shows that the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department confirmed 8,513 dengue patients brought to government and private hospitals across the province during the month.

The month also proved to be the worst so far during the year for the citizens of Lahore where 3,585 fresh dengue cases were recorded, making the provincial capital the most affected district of Punjab.

The number of fresh patients registered accounts for over half of the total cases recorded in the province since January. In all, at least 14,882 patients of dengue fever have been confirmed in all districts of Punjab during 2022.

Similarly, 6,315 dengue patients were confirmed during the past 10 months in Lahore, of whom 3,585 were registered during October.

The death toll from dengue also rose substantially. The virus claimed at least nine lives in the province during the past month.

The total death toll in the province during the year so far is 18. Of the recorded deaths, 10 took place in Lahore, four in Rawalpindi, three in Gujranwala and one in Gujrat district. &ldquo;The situation in the hospitals of the province is critical.

At least 1,067 patients are currently undergoing treatment in the dengue wards. The highest number patients is in Lahore&rsquo;s hospitals where 453 people are under treatment for the fever,&rdquo; an official of the health department told The Express Tribune.

The disease has spread in almost all districts of Punjab, but residents of Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad are at the highest risk with a large number of people suffering from the fever.

The official said November was also likely to be a high risk month for the spread of dengue fever as a severe cold climate was unlikely during the month. He said the season of dengue fever was likely to subside in the last week of December with a substantial drop in temperature.

The official said the people should take safety measure in the coming weeks to protect themselves from dengue fever. Provincial Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Irshad Ahmad said, &ldquo;Anti-dengue actions are continuing across Punjab.&rdquo; He said 146 new dengue cases had been confirmed in the province during the past 24 hours]]>
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			<title>267 dengue cases reported across Punjab</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2383889/267-dengue-cases-reported-across-punjab</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2383889/267-dengue-cases-reported-across-punjab#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 30 Oct 22 05:39:21 +0500</pubDate>
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			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[A total of 14,453 dengue cases were reported during the current year]]>
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				<![CDATA[At least 267 people were afflicted by the dengue virus in Punjab during the last 24 hours.

A spokesman for the health department shared that a total of 14,453 dengue cases were reported during the current year while 18 people lost their lives and 1125 patients were under treatment in different hospitals of the province.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare department reported 110 cases in Lahore, 55 in Rawalpindi, 26 in Gujranwala, 27 in Multan, six in Kasur, eight in Faisalabad, eight in Sheikhupura, three in Sialkot, thee in Okara and four cases in Sargodha during the last 24 hours.&nbsp;]]>
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