K-P govt launches door-to-door campaign as five die from dengue in Peshawar

People question PTI's claim of heralding 'revolutionary health reforms' in province


News Desk August 22, 2017
Local sources, however, quoted eight dead with most of the victims belonging to Peshawar's Tehkal area. PHOTO: AFP

In the wake of the death of five persons from the dengue virus in Peshawar, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has started a door-to-door campaign to eradicate the debilitating disease.

Saqib Aslam, the focal person for the campaign, confirmed the development to BBC Urdu.

"The worst affected areas are Tehkal and Pakhtashra where pesticide spray is being done five times a day," Aslam said.

According to deputy commissioner diagnosis desk, measures to treat the disease have been setup at hospitals throughout the province, free of charge.

The diagnosis desk have been put in place at private medical care units as well.

"In the past few weeks five people have succumbed to the virus, with 800 contracted dengue out of which 140 are being treated," he added.

Local sources, however, quoted eight dead with most of the victims belonging to Peshawar's Tehkal area.

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A team of doctors and mobiles under the supervision of additional DG Health Punjab have reached Peshawar to fight the virus.

Imran Nazir, Punjab health minister, has also visited Peshawar in this regard.

Nazir said the spread of dengue in Peshawar as a epidemic can only be countered through team work.

He said he had directed Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif to avoid political point scoring and instead work for the welfare of the people of Peshawar.

Nazir said that as Punjab has been in the grip of the virus for a while, they know how to clamp down on the disease.

"As a result, specialised doctors from Punjab will join hands with doctors of the province to eradicate the disease," he said.

Nazir added that the K-P government must form a dengue cabinet as well as dengue emergency response committees under the supervision of the provincial health minister or chief minister to monitor progress.

Social media users have criticised the health reforms rolled out by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as they have failed to curb the spread of dengue.

A senior journalist in Peshawar, Arif Yousufzai said "Punjab's health minister has arrived with his team to the city, in contrast, no PTI ministers can be seen."

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"The people of the province are facing this debilitating disease and our captain [Imran Khan] is on vacation," a resident of Peshawar said.

Other residents came forward, saying that it has been a month since disease has been spreading and the authorities had only called a meeting to discuss the issue now.

Following the outbreak, people have questioned PTI's claim of heralding "revolutionary health reforms" in the province.

COMMENTS (1)

Raghu | 6 years ago | Reply Please compare previous years deaths and this year deaths. Previously hundereds of people used to die coz of dengue. Now only 5 people died. That is itself a big achievement. PMLN like to do point scoring. KPK gov should not have accepted Punjab's help as now we can see it was politically motivated.
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