Dengue fever may pose a threat to public health in Punjab, especially Lahore, as the provincial health department does not appear to be taking seriously its responsibility of preventing the spread of the disease.
Dengue counters at major hospitals of the province are dysfunctional, while the workers assigned responsibility at the town level to take measures against the disease remain absent from duty frequently.
Due to the mismanagement of the department, the dengue larva is spreading in the streets and localities despite demands by health experts for immediate action in Punjab to protect the citizens.
Sources in Punjab health department say 358 spots in various districts of the province were identified during the past 24 hours by officials where dengue larva was found.
A senior health official said while speaking to The Express Tribune that the situation regarding dengue could become serious in coming days in Lahore.
He said presence of dengue larva at 255 indoor and outdoor sites in the provincial capital had been conformed during the past day.
The official said it was evident that dengue was spreading again in the province day by day. “The reason is that the operation against dengue disease is limited to paper work and the Punjab health department is not taking enough practical measures in this regard,” he added.
He said there were a large number of hazardous spots with heaps of garbage in the city that were being ignored because of lack of regular checking of the situation at the street level by the authorities.
There currently are 41 dengue patients confirmed by the health department in Punjab, of whom 19 are under treatment in Lahore.
“In past years there was a practice that the government arranged anti-dengue mosquito spray in all mosques in the month of Ramazan in view of the large gatherings expected there. However, the spray has not been carried out this year,” he said.
The official said the government was also ignoring the threat of dengue in schools, graveyards, tyre and paan shops, resulting in an increase in presence of the larva.
“Last year, around 25,000 patients of dengue fever were reported in all the 36 districts of Punjab, while 130 deaths caused by the disease were confirmed. The Punjab health department must take the the risk to the citizens seriously,” said the official.
The challenge of curbing dengue fever has been persisting along with coronavirus across the country in recent years.
"During the past day, teams of Punjab health department checked 358,514 indoor and 98,255 outdoor places, during which dengue larva was found at some spots. In Lahore, the department’s teams checked 45,574 indoor places and 8,247 outdoor sites. Our teams eradicated dengue larva present at several spots,” Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch said.
He said the department’s operation to stop the spread of dengue was continuing, but it required public cooperation for the purpose. He said the people should take care of cleanliness and religious scholars should educate them in mosques about the preventive measures.
The provincial secretary advised the people to avoid accumulation water in and around their homes.
"There is a high risk during April of the spread of dengue because it the season of increase in mosquitos. However, the peak of hot weather in May would cause a relief. So there is a need for the people to be careful about their health during the ongoing month,” said Dr Abdul Basit, a former medical superintendent of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2022.
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