K-P experts urge Punjab teams to stop strip tests

Ask them to focus on prevention measures, patients who display symptoms

PESHAWAR: As Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) health officials confirm that strip-testing for dengue yielded 50 per cent false positive tests, health teams who have travelled from Punjab have been asked to refocus their efforts from testing to prevention against the virus.

“We knew this and would have stated it earlier but we feared that some people would use it for political gains and hence we remained silent,” a senior health official told The Express Tribune on Monday.

The official, who requested anonymity keeping in view the sensitive nature of the issue, stated that health units, especially those from the Punjab, had been rapidly screening people for dengue.

Even though the strip-test method had a 50 per cent false positivity rate, all those who tested positive for the virus were being sent to hospitals causing immense problems for hospital administration and staff.

“Yes, it has panicked the general public and even after several attempts, we have not been able to tell people that only patients who show the symptoms need to be admitted and treated for the dengue virus,” the official explained.

In this regard, health experts gave the media a comprehensive briefing so that the general public could be sensitised about the matter.

Dr Iftikharuddin, an assistant professor for Community Medicines at the Bacha Khan Medical College in Mardan, explained the causes behind the spread of the dengue virus in detail.

He stated that diseases which spread by the bite of mosquitoes, claim the most lives across the world followed by humans, adding that the dengue mosquito cannot survive in temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius and below 10 degrees Celsius. However, they thrive between 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, and are most active in the hours around dawn and sunset. He urged the use of ‘mechanical methods’ rather chemical, to overcome the problem.

“Larvae can be killed only with the help of detergent, but the eggs cannot. Even at minus 50 degrees Celsius. [We can only kill them by] separating the eggs from fresh or stagnant water,” Dr Iftikharuddin said, adding that the government could help kill larvae outside the homes but only people can help get rid of the virus.

“We have empty pots everywhere in the home including pet feeders, flower pots, flower vase and specifically tyres [the ideal place for mosquitoes to lay eggs] are some places where mosquitoes breed and these are the places which we need to focus on,” the assistant professor said.

When asked, Dr Iftikharuddin stated that health units sent by the Punjab government were carrying out strip tests which, according to him, gave 50 per cent false positivity and requested the health unit’s to assist on the prevention side.

“I would request teams from Punjab to help us on the prevention side since not everyone needs to be screened but only those displaying dengue symptoms,” he urged.

290 fresh cases

Meanwhile, the daily situation report issued by the Dengue Control Room stated that a total of 1,527 people had been screened for the dengue virus in hospitals across the province. Of these, 290 tested positive for the virus and around 137 were admitted.

It added that around 641 people were currently receiving treatment for dengue at the different hospital of the province.

It added that so far 3,380 people were found to have been infected across the province. However, of these, 2,729 people had been discharged after being treated.

So far, 10 people have died due to the viral infection.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2017.