Dengue caseload puts strain on hospitals

Healthcare, political huddle reviews anti-dengue measures

RAWALPINDI:

Health authorities in Rawalpindi have finalised arrangements to increase the number of beds for patients from 600 to 1,000 after an alarming increase in the number of dengue patients in the Rawalpindi division.

The decision came at a meeting participated by Punjab Secretary for Specialised Healthcare Punjab Azmat Mahmood, the Adviser to Chief Minister Athar Mehmood Kayani and Rawalpindi Commissioner Amir Khattak. MNAs, MPAs and officers of the health department also participated.

Kiyani said that the results of the anti-dengue campaign had improved with the involvement of public representatives, advising the parliamentarians should be kept on board from the beginning of next year and public representatives should go to people of their respective constituencies for awareness.

Secretary for Specialised Healthcare Punjab Azmat Mehmood said that anti-dengue activities should be carried out in such a way that the current hotspots were not included in the next year's list after complete cleaning and surveillance. "The most important thing at this time is the late reporting of patients."

MNA Tahira Aurangzeb recommended strict action against the departments where dengue larvae are found. "The head of such department will be suspended immediately. The area where the larvae are found should be sealed immediately after cleaning," she further said, adding all allied departments along with the health department were coordinating anti-dengue activities and students were especially included in the campaign.

In a briefing to the meeting participants, Rawalpindi Commissioner Aamir Khattak informed that 94 confirmed patients had been reported from the Rawalpindi district during the last 24 hours, saying the number of confirmed patients had reached 3,162. Of 3,162 patients, 2,814 had been discharged after successful treatment, while 331 patients were undergoing treatment in different hospitals, he further informed.

To ensure public awareness, the commissioner said, 13 dengue awareness counters with the help of the traffic police had been set up at major crossings. Since January 1, 2024, as many as 4,374 FIRs were registered, 2,919 challans were issued, and 1,683 buildings were sealed.

Meanwhile, Secretary Azmat Mahmud stressed that treating anti-dengue efforts in routine was a major issue, citing the need for enhanced waste management systems in hospitals to combat the disease.

He uttered these words during a thorough inspection of Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi. The visit focused on evaluating the hospitals' waste management and sanitation systems, with particular emphasis on the dengue ward. During the inspection, the secretary inquired about the treatment and care provided to patients affected by dengue fever.

He mentioned that in addition to all the medications, hospitals had the necessary human resources available based on demand, including trained doctors and paramedical staff. "There should be no interruptions in patient treatment."

The secretary was informed that in Rawalpindi hospitals, 70% of patients are from the district while 30% are from other areas.

The Rawalpindi Commissioner said that all necessary facilities were available in special dengue wards and to combat false reporting, action was being taken against private hospitals and labs where 118 patients were misreported.

 

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Scores more test positive

RAWALPINDI. Dengue fever cases continued to rise in Rawalpindi on Thursday as despite the anti-dengue campaign, 117 people were confirmed dengue positive in the last 24 hours.

The number of dengue patients being treated in allied hospitals has reached 219. The Potohar Town area remains a hotspot.

In the last 24 hours, 117 dengue cases were reported in Rawalpindi district, bringing the total number of confirmed dengue cases this season to 3,195. In the past 24 hours, 60 dengue patients came from Potohar Town, 16 from the Municipal Corporation limits, 19 from Rawalpindi Cantonment, and 1 each from Potohar Rural, Kotli Sattian, and Kallar Syedan. Additionally, nine cases were confirmed from Chaklala Cantonment, three from Murree, and four each from Taxila and Kahuta.

According to sources in the health department, 10 dengue patients have so far lost their lives this year. A total of 4,425 FIRs were registered for violations of dengue SOPs, 1,697 buildings were sealed, and 2,938 challan tickets were issued after the discovery of dengue larvae. app