PIMS receives over 1,700 confirmed dengue cases
Pindi admin wants to fumigate Adiala Jail, monitor high-profile prisoners
PHOTO: REUTERS
RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD:
The dengue epidemic in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi seems to be showing no signs of slowing down with the largest tertiary care hospital in the federal capital reporting to have received at least 1,70 confirmed cases of dengue thus far.
In neighbouring Rawalpindi, officials said that as many as 88 fresh cases have been reported over the past 24 hours.
With Rawalpindi refusing to entertain dengue patients from Islamabad, patients have been streaming into the city’s hospitals. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has so far received some 2,000 dengue patients of which at least 170 have tested as positive for dengue.
The hospital’s spokesperson Dr Wasim Khawaja stated that as many as 32 patients are currently admitted in the hospital and are receiving treatment for the viral fever. He added that some 2,000 suspected dengue patients had visited the hospital, adding that their blood samples were sent to the laboratory for confirmation of dengue infection.
25 fresh dengue cases reported in Peshawar
He added that as per the directions of the health ministry, they had set up isolated wards for dengue patients.
Dr Khawaja advised the citizens to remain vigilant to condense the spread of dengue virus.
Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, the district administration has ordered the close surveillance of the Rawalpindi Central Prison, commonly known as Adiala jail, for dengue infections.
Besides terrorists, murderers and robbers there are under-trial prisoners, including former president Asif Ali Zardari who could become victims of dengue, causing embarrassment for the government and the administration, an official of local health department stated while requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
An outbreak in the jail could quickly turn into an epidemic with as many as 6,000 inmates living in a confined space.
“It would be very difficult to set up quarantine wards and ensure healthcare of prisoners suffering from dengue viral fever,” the official said.
Separately, the district administration has launched a dengue surveillance campaign encompassing 32 high-security places including the Islamabad International Airport (IIA) and Adiala Jail.
All 32 departments have been directed in this regard to start fumigating green areas.
Anticipating the danger, the district administration has issued letters to authorities of 32 sensitive installations.
The authorities concerned have been directed to start spraying green areas around them immediately.
81 officials removed following dengue outbreak in Lahore
With some 6,000 people biding their time in Adyala Jail, including former president Asif Ali Zardari
Sources say that teams of the health department will soon visit the jail to survey it for dengue larvae.
Dengue mosquitos roam free
The district administration has failed to contain the dengue viral fever with 88 more patients brought to the allied hospitals over the past 24 hours, including 43 from the Potohar Town.
The total figure of dengue patients in garrison city has soared past 1,580 while some 910 patients have been discharged from different hospitals after successful treatment.
Allied hospitals including Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital and Holy Family Hospital (HFH) are facing a severe shortage of doctors and to cope with the influx of patients. As a result, doctors from other wards are being deployed in dengue wards.
Subsequently, the administrations of allied hospitals have ruled out the suggestion of setting up a 100-bed dengue ward in the Red Crescent building owing to a lack of facilities in the building such as washrooms and absence of windows in air-conditioned rooms.
Polyclinic reforms
A committee on bringing reforms in the Federal Government Hospital (Polyclinic) on Wednesday recommended creating 220 additional posts for post-graduate trainee doctors.
This was recommended as the Polyclinic Reforms Committee met in Islamabad on Wednesday with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza in the chair. Dr Mirza said that that a reforms agenda in hospitals is being implemented while all possible measures are being taken to improve patient care. “We are committed to improving the performance of public sector hospitals and achieving universal health coverage,” he said.
Noting the massive pressure on Polyclinic and its dispensaries, the SAPM on health stated that the 35 dispensaries attached with Polyclinic are undergoing reform. Non-functioning dispensaries are being closed and its staff is being transferred to Polyclinic. Other dispensaries are being assigned new roles to reduce the burden on the main hospital.
Polyclinic Executive Director Dr Shoaib Khan stated that the Gynae department in the hospital is being upgraded and new equipment worth Rs123 million is being procured.
RDA files cases
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has lodged cases against the owners of 17 under-construction buildings in the city who had failed to comply with the dengue Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Punjab Government to control dengue.
Raids were conducted by the Land Development and Estate Management (LD&EM) Wing of RDA, the RDA teams on the directive of RDA Chairman Arif Abbasi. They inspected localities in Airport Housing Scheme, Lawyers and Judicial Colonies to check residential and commercial sites and under-construction buildings and lodged 17 FIRs in respective police station against violators.
The director informed that the owners and contractors of the under-construction buildings had been issued notices and directed to ensure removal of stagnant water and properly cover water tanks.
RCB survey
Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) under anti-dengue drive, has inspected 5,265 containers under the surveillance of 1520 houses and removed dengue larva from 55 points.
The Board had taken effective measures to control dengue while special teams under anti-dengue drive were inspecting residential and commercial places besides educating the citizens about the importance of sanitation, cleanliness and preventive measures against dengue.
At least 1,520 houses and a large number of other points were checked by male and female health workers during the door-to-door campaign.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2019.
The dengue epidemic in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi seems to be showing no signs of slowing down with the largest tertiary care hospital in the federal capital reporting to have received at least 1,70 confirmed cases of dengue thus far.
In neighbouring Rawalpindi, officials said that as many as 88 fresh cases have been reported over the past 24 hours.
With Rawalpindi refusing to entertain dengue patients from Islamabad, patients have been streaming into the city’s hospitals. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has so far received some 2,000 dengue patients of which at least 170 have tested as positive for dengue.
The hospital’s spokesperson Dr Wasim Khawaja stated that as many as 32 patients are currently admitted in the hospital and are receiving treatment for the viral fever. He added that some 2,000 suspected dengue patients had visited the hospital, adding that their blood samples were sent to the laboratory for confirmation of dengue infection.
25 fresh dengue cases reported in Peshawar
He added that as per the directions of the health ministry, they had set up isolated wards for dengue patients.
Dr Khawaja advised the citizens to remain vigilant to condense the spread of dengue virus.
Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, the district administration has ordered the close surveillance of the Rawalpindi Central Prison, commonly known as Adiala jail, for dengue infections.
Besides terrorists, murderers and robbers there are under-trial prisoners, including former president Asif Ali Zardari who could become victims of dengue, causing embarrassment for the government and the administration, an official of local health department stated while requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
An outbreak in the jail could quickly turn into an epidemic with as many as 6,000 inmates living in a confined space.
“It would be very difficult to set up quarantine wards and ensure healthcare of prisoners suffering from dengue viral fever,” the official said.
Separately, the district administration has launched a dengue surveillance campaign encompassing 32 high-security places including the Islamabad International Airport (IIA) and Adiala Jail.
All 32 departments have been directed in this regard to start fumigating green areas.
Anticipating the danger, the district administration has issued letters to authorities of 32 sensitive installations.
The authorities concerned have been directed to start spraying green areas around them immediately.
81 officials removed following dengue outbreak in Lahore
With some 6,000 people biding their time in Adyala Jail, including former president Asif Ali Zardari
Sources say that teams of the health department will soon visit the jail to survey it for dengue larvae.
Dengue mosquitos roam free
The district administration has failed to contain the dengue viral fever with 88 more patients brought to the allied hospitals over the past 24 hours, including 43 from the Potohar Town.
The total figure of dengue patients in garrison city has soared past 1,580 while some 910 patients have been discharged from different hospitals after successful treatment.
Allied hospitals including Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital and Holy Family Hospital (HFH) are facing a severe shortage of doctors and to cope with the influx of patients. As a result, doctors from other wards are being deployed in dengue wards.
Subsequently, the administrations of allied hospitals have ruled out the suggestion of setting up a 100-bed dengue ward in the Red Crescent building owing to a lack of facilities in the building such as washrooms and absence of windows in air-conditioned rooms.
Polyclinic reforms
A committee on bringing reforms in the Federal Government Hospital (Polyclinic) on Wednesday recommended creating 220 additional posts for post-graduate trainee doctors.
This was recommended as the Polyclinic Reforms Committee met in Islamabad on Wednesday with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza in the chair. Dr Mirza said that that a reforms agenda in hospitals is being implemented while all possible measures are being taken to improve patient care. “We are committed to improving the performance of public sector hospitals and achieving universal health coverage,” he said.
Noting the massive pressure on Polyclinic and its dispensaries, the SAPM on health stated that the 35 dispensaries attached with Polyclinic are undergoing reform. Non-functioning dispensaries are being closed and its staff is being transferred to Polyclinic. Other dispensaries are being assigned new roles to reduce the burden on the main hospital.
Polyclinic Executive Director Dr Shoaib Khan stated that the Gynae department in the hospital is being upgraded and new equipment worth Rs123 million is being procured.
RDA files cases
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has lodged cases against the owners of 17 under-construction buildings in the city who had failed to comply with the dengue Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Punjab Government to control dengue.
Raids were conducted by the Land Development and Estate Management (LD&EM) Wing of RDA, the RDA teams on the directive of RDA Chairman Arif Abbasi. They inspected localities in Airport Housing Scheme, Lawyers and Judicial Colonies to check residential and commercial sites and under-construction buildings and lodged 17 FIRs in respective police station against violators.
The director informed that the owners and contractors of the under-construction buildings had been issued notices and directed to ensure removal of stagnant water and properly cover water tanks.
RCB survey
Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) under anti-dengue drive, has inspected 5,265 containers under the surveillance of 1520 houses and removed dengue larva from 55 points.
The Board had taken effective measures to control dengue while special teams under anti-dengue drive were inspecting residential and commercial places besides educating the citizens about the importance of sanitation, cleanliness and preventive measures against dengue.
At least 1,520 houses and a large number of other points were checked by male and female health workers during the door-to-door campaign.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2019.