Dengue threat: Rawalpindi hospitals put on red alert

Number of dengue patients in Islamabad and Rawalpindi rises to 29 and 20 respectively.

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI:

Hospitals in Rawalpindi were put on red alert as six more patients tested positive for dengue fever on Tuesday.

The managements of Rawalpindi Medical College, Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarter Hospital put their staff on red alert on the directives of the Punjab chief minister to cope with the epidemic.

The number of confirmed dengue patients in Rawalpindi has now risen to 20.

(Read: Dengue deaths)

Among the new confirmed patients in Rawalpindi, five came from different parts of Gujar Khan and two from different areas of Chakwal, official sources said. Khurram Shehzad, 25, died of dengue fever at Gujjar Khan Tehsil Hospital. He was brought to the hospital three days ago.

The total suspected patients visiting the three hospitals have gone to over 150 as the hospitals are reported ill-prepared to cope with the deteriorating situation.

In a meeting at the office of Rawalpindi commissioner, MNA Hanif Abbasi of PML-N and chairperson Monitoring Committee for dengue urged on the administration of the hospitals to put their staff on red alert.

The MNA told the district government, administrators of the six town municipals and the public health department of Rawalpindi to start an awareness campaign in the city about dengue.

CDA establishes two wards for dengue patients

In Islamabad the total number of confirmed dengue fever patients rose to 29 on Tuesday.

To cope with the situation, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) established two exclusive wards for intensive care and efficient treatment of dengue patients.

Capital Hospital Executive Director Dr Siddiq Akbar Satti said this in a review meeting chaired by Chairperson CDA Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, who was given a detailed briefing on the arrangements made in the hospital here Tuesday.

CDA Chairperson directed the Environment Wing to join hands with the Directorate of Health Services of CDA to combat dengue virus. He said that six beds have been allocated in the hospital -- three each in Officer Ward Surgical and Officer Ward Medical respectively. The dengue-specified beds have been equipped with all relevant gadgets including masks, mosquito nets, mosquito repellent lotion and spray.

Efforts to keeping the germs at bay

The government, following a meeting of Planning Commission with World Health Organization (WHO), established a contact group on dengue control on Tuesday, said a press release.

The session was chaired by Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Dr Nadeemul Haq. The contact group will be chaired by provincial representatives with coordination and facilitation from the Planning Commission.

In another recommendation, a set of guidelines prepared by the WHO for dengue fever were approved by the provincial representatives for implementation across the country.

Member of the meeting agreed that WHO-approved insecticide will be procured to ensure better control over mosquitoes. The spray methods will also be reviewed.

They recommended that the provinces to prepare a “comprehensive” ventral-borne disease programme to better control outbreaks in the future.

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

Dr Nadeemul Haq said “several unqualified actors” are engaged in exploiting the situation by promoting their own products which posed a challenge of its own.

He said people need to know the facts about the outbreak. Dean Institute of Public Health Lahore Prof. Dr Yaqoob Kazi, providing updates on anti-dengue campaign in Punjab, said strict monitoring of spray, case management at health facilities is being carried out in the province particularly in Lahore.

Secretary Health AJK Brig (retd) Kamaluddin Soomro said they needed more resources in Azad Jammu and Kashmir to combat dengue.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa General Health Director Dr Sharif Ahmed Khan emphasized the need for operational research on the matter.

Sindh Health Special Secretary Dr Sikandar Ali Panhwar said that more cases have been reported from Karachi than other parts of the provinces; however they expected the number of cases to rise drastically following the recent rains and floods.

Balochistan Additional Secretary Health Shah Irfan said they were taking preventive measures even though no dengue cases had been reported from the province. With additional input from Sehrish Wasif, government press release and APP



Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2011.