Dengue larvae discovery at hospitals triggers alert

Significant numbers found at Holy Family & Benazir Bhutto General hospitals amidst ongoing revamp

RAWALPINDI:

A large number of dengue larvae were recovered from the hospital building of the city’s largest Holy Family Hospital (HFH), which has remained closed for the duration of a year as it underwent renovation before it was expected to become functional on June 30, 2024.

This is the largest amount of dengue larvae ever recovered from a government institution. A threat alert has been issued to prevent the breeding of dengue larvae by destroying every trace of it from the hospital facilities.

During the anti-dengue surveillance activity of the District Health Authority (DHA), due to the ongoing revamping work in the hospital, a large quantity of dengue larvae was recovered from large containers used to hold construction material.

The surveillance team declared that the containers and other construction equipment pose a high risk of dengue outbreak in the hospital. Empty bins lying in the hospital building and water accumulated in them had become breeding grounds for dengue larvae.

The recovery of dengue larvae in large quantities right before the hospital became fully functional created an alarming situation.

According to the CEO of Health, Dr Ijaz Ahmed, the DHA teams recovered dengue larvae from different places in the hospital which were destroyed mechanically. District Health Officer Preventive, Dr Ehsan Ghani said that the hospital administration has been instructed to remain on alert and take precautions to prevent the breeding of dengue larvae again. Moreover, plans to continue anti-dengue surveillance regularly have been proposed to prevent re-breeding.

It is worth noting that the HFH has been closed for the past year due to renovation work. With 95% of the work completed, the hospital administration has given the C&W Department a deadline to make the hospital fully functional by June 30.

On the other hand, following the discovery of dengue larvae at the HFH, a similar finding was made at Benazir Bhutto General Hospital (BBGH), where the presence of larvae was found in copious amounts.

The anti-dengue surveillance squad of the District Health Authority (DHA) detected a significant presence of dengue larvae in the building materials and other areas of the Outpatient Department (OPD) and psychiatric wards of BBGH, which is currently undergoing renovation work. The squad has instructed the hospital administration to conduct regular anti-dengue surveillance to prevent the re-breeding of dengue larvae after eliminating the existing larvae immediately.

District Health Officer Preventive, Dr Ahsan Ghani, revealed that a significant quantity of dengue larvae was discovered due to the accumulation of water in construction materials at BBGH, which was subsequently destroyed.

Acting on the Health Department’s advice, the Additional Deputy Commissioner Headquarters has issued a stern warning letter to the Medical Superintendents of BBGH and HFH. The letter categorically states that if dengue larvae are found on the premises again, severe action will be taken against the hospital administration.