Desperate patients turn to unproven alternative therapies

Given the influx of patients at public hospitals and a painkiller shortage all over the country, those suspecting they have contracted dengue or are actually infected with the virus have resorted to home remedies, which might not be as effective as perceived.

Placebo treatments, like papaya leaves’ juice, papaya powder, and papaya syrup, have flooded social media as dengue has tightened its grip around the country and go-to painkillers like Panadol have disappeared from pharmacies due to skyrocketing demand post-floods. Dr Saeed Khan, Head of the Molecular Pathology Department at Dow University of Health Sciences, highlighting the dangers of home remedies, said that there was no research to suggest they worked.

“This is a deja vu of the Covid-19 pandemic where people were trying every herbal medicine being circulated on the internet. Mostly these indigenous remedies are of no use,” he remarked. Dr Saeed was of the view that patients of dengue should not risk self medication as the lack of timely medical care could have drastic consequences. “Those who suspect that they have dengue should immediately visit a hospital and consult with a doctor.”

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However, Haris Khan, a resident of Peshawar, believes that Dr Saeed’s advice is of little use when the medicines that doctors are prescribing are not even available in the market. “My brother currently has dengue and we have no choice but to treat him at home,” lamented Haris, adding that even non-prescription drugs like Panadol, Brufen, and Disprin are missing.

He further said that pharmacies are exploiting the situation even more by gouging prices of essential medicines “so people really did not have a choice but to sit at home and hope for the best.” The price gouging of medication seems to be a national problem as pharmacies in Karachi and Lahore where Panadol is available are charging up to Rs 900 per box. President of the Wholesale Chemists Council of Pakistan, Atif Billo, when asked about the high rates, said that it was simple economics.

“The demand has exceeded the supply hence the exorbitant prices.” Rates of mega units of platelets, used to treat patients with severe dengue, have also gone through the roof. A survey from private hospitals in Karachi revealed that private blood banks are charging Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000 to supply one mega unit, and that too against four donors of blood.

Despite the steep prices, Dr Ahmad Zeb, a medical specialist from Peshawar, was of the view that homemade remedies should be taken with a grain of salt. “If a patient’s condition is severe, relying on social media medicines will not improve their health. If such remedies worked then doctors would close up shop and sit at home,” Dr Ahmed candidly remarked while talking to The Express Tribune.