Hospitals struggle to cope with dengue wave

190 more suspected dengue patients admitted to hospitals in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI:

The latest wave of dengue cases in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and surrounding areas continue to add to a load of hospitals, as 190 new patients were hospitalised during the last 24 hours.

According to health officials, the number of dengue patients in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad has risen alarmingly to 669. According to health officials, a total of 483 dengue patients are in Islamabad, 186 in Rawalpindi, 17 in Attock district and 47 in Chakwal district.

Coronavirus infections in the twin cities have been complicated by the surge in dengue, a mosquito-transmitted virus that spreads during monsoon season. The rise in cases of dengue — which can have symptoms similar to those of the coronavirus, such as fever, headaches and body aches — is adding to the patient load of hospitals, health officials said.

As an alarming number of cases surface across Punjab, a dengue emergency has been declared in the entire province, including in Rawalpindi. Orders have been issued to add 100 extra beds to each hospital in Rawalpindi, sources said. The number of beds in private hospitals has also been increased by a total of 1,000 beds.

Read Dengue rise requires all hands on deck

With the arrival of record 190 dengue patients in Rawalpindi city and cantonment hospitals, a new micro-anti-dengue plan has been thrashed out to tackle the situation.

Patients from well off families are turning to private hospitals and clinics instead of government hospitals for treatment. The number of dengue patients admitted to private hospitals and clinics had also crossed the threshold of 550.

Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali has announced to hold anti-dengue meetings daily after an alarming increase in the number of dengue patients.

Dengue emergency has also been implemented in all allied hospitals, he said, adding that 17 dengue workers absent from duty, including 11 women, have been suspended and orders have been issued to deduct their salaries for non-attendance. The suspended dengue workers were identified as Shazia, Nadia, Naima, Tehmina, Muqaddas, Afra, Anam, Sehrish, Nadia Bibi, Sameera, Noushela, Ramzan, Zameer Ahmed, Adnan, Abrar Ahmed, Noman and Umair.

He said that the Rawalpindi city and cantonment had been divided into three zones, six sectors and 39 cluster centres under the new anti-dengue plan to contain its further spread.

The officer said that separate cluster centres have been set up in the areas declared as hotspots. Cluster in-charges have been given powers to enforce the rules.

Read more Hospitals face dengue patients’ influx

Cluster centres will hold on the spot meetings with dengue workers every day and assign them duties. There will be an immediate report about the absent workers, who will be suspended and their salaries will be seized.

The deputy commissioner has asked for daily indoor and outdoor checking and immediate culling of dengue larvae.

Complaints of poor performance of the health department in the dengue campaign have also increased.

First dengue death in Abbottabad

The first death of the current year from dengue fever was reported from Abbottabad. According to the health department on Friday, a woman from Mansehra died of the ailment at the hospital.

The health department report on dengue situation said the death of a woman from Mansehra at Abbottabad hospital was the first in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from dengue fever during the current year.          

According to the report, 178 new cases of dengue fever were reported from the province during the last 24 hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2021.