Suspected dengue patients sent home after tests in Rawalpindi

District Health Chief says thus far not a single patient had tested positive

RAWALPINDI: With the main dengue season a few months away, doctors at the three allied hospitals in Rawalpindi have been seen telling patients displaying dengue-like symptoms to go home after prescribing only basic tests and medicines.

Health experts, when asked about this, explained that the dengue season proper is expected to start from August and special dengue wards for this purpose have been set up at the BBH, HFH and DHQ.

HFH Infectious Diseases Department Head Dr Mujeeb Khan said that the main surge of dengue-hit patients usually starts in August.

“Most patients are coming in with symptoms of fever and these patients are sent back after essential tests,” he explained.

District Health Authority (DHA) Chief Executive Dr Rashid Khan added that thus far, not a single patient had tested positive for dengue in district Rawalpindi.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2019.