K-P appoints new focal persons to collect dengue data

Doctors will be responsible for conveying data to health authorities

PESHAWAR: In a bid to get more accurate data surrounding dengue patients brought to hospitals in the province, the provincial health department has decided to task 12 doctors as focal persons at different private hospitals and basic health units (BHUs).

A notification in this regard was issued by Health Director General (DG) on Monday.

The notice said that Imple­men­tation Deputy Director Dr Makhdoom Safdar has been tasked with the responsibility of conveying accurate data regarding dengue cases and possible dengue-related deaths on a regular basis for the medical teaching institute (MTI) Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), while Public Health Deputy Director Dr Taj Muhammad has been charged with gathering data from the Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH).

Similarly, Monitoring and Evaluation Deputy Director Dr Jehanzaib Akbar will oversee the Hayatabad Medical Complex, Curative Deputy Director Dr Luqman Ali has been assigned the Rehman Medical Institute and Northwest General Hospital in Peshawar.

Other focal-people include Health Information System District Deputy Director Dr Babar Ali Shaukat for the Mursi and Kuwait Teaching hospitals, Curative Deputy Director Dr Aamir Sardar for Naseerullah Babar Memorial Hospital in Peshawar, Public Health Deputy Director Bilal Barawar for BHU Sarband and Sangu and the Shekhan Civil Dispensary.

Curative Deputy Director Dr Ziaur Rehman was appointed for Sheikh Muhammadi BHU and Budhpir civil dispensary, Curative Deputy Director Dr Abbas for Molvi Amir Shah Memorial Hospital and Curative Deputy Director Dr Umar Amin for the Sifat Ghayyor and Services hospitals.

Dengue not more dangerous than malaria

Khyber Medical College Dean Dr Noorul Imaan noted that patients usually embrace malaria calmly but not dengue.

The reason for that, he explained was that because malaria as a disease has been known for a longer period of time and people are well aware that it can be cured and are familiar with its symptoms. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2019.