Counting cases: ‘We have an epidemic and need more help’

Faisalabad count now rises to over 77 patients in major hospitals.

FAISALABAD: Another 15 cases of dengue fever have been reported in the district, with five patients in serious condition in Faisalabad.

According to health officials, three patients have been discharged from government hospitals after seeking treatment.

According to the EDO (Health) Dr Abdur Rauf, out of the recently admitted patients, a total of eight were admitted in Allied Hospital while four are currently being treated in the DHQ Hospital.

Rauf said that 77 dengue patients were being treated in the Faisalabad district including 62 patients in Allied Hospital and 15 in DHQ Hospital.

Rauf said that the local health department had made elaborate arrangements to curb the menace of dengue fever in the district.

“We are doing everything we can but we have an epidemic on our hands and need more help from the provincial health authorities,” he said. He said that emergency committees had been constituted at the town level to accelerate efforts to eliminate the dengue virus and added that a special cell had been established at the commissioner’s office to help health department officials deal with dengue related complaints in addition to launching a strong media campaign to raise awareness about the disease.

The Health Services director has been nominated to monitor and review the performance of the committees on a daily basis. A report will be filed at the end of the month. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th,  2011.