Dengue fever: Cantonments remain safe haven for mosquitoes
Fumigation has still not kicked off in the Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment areas.
RAWALPINDI:
Despite six confirmed cases of dengue and the increasing threat of its spread, fumigation has yet to be carried out in areas under the control of the Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards.
Citizens living in cantonment areas have expressed concerns over the worsening situation and urged the Rawapindi Cantonment Board (RCB) and Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) authorities to fumigate the areas on an urgent basis.
On the other hand, the district administration and elected representatives of the public continue to make arrangements to counter the spread of the mosquito-borne disease in the city. In the process, six of the city’s private hospitals have agreed to make arrangements to treat dengue patients.
Moreover, a cell-separator machine to extract platelets from blood has reached Benazir Bhutto Hospital, and the same facility will be available at Holy Family Hospital in two days. The facility has been provided by the provincial government to ensure the availability of platelets.
“A young man from our locality was taken to hospital as he was suffering from high fever, which was later confirmed to be dengue fever,” said Kashif Ali, a resident of Dehri Hasanabad in CCB.
Another case was reported from the Koh-i-Noor Mills area in RCB. The patient was taken to District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ), where a blood test confirmed his status.
According to official data from the city’s three major public hospitals, 40 suspected patients and 18 confirmed patients are being treated by them. Six of the 18 confirmed patients from the whole of Rawalpindi division are from the cantonment areas.
In response, RCB Additional Executive Officer Shakeel Anwar Jappa told The Express Tribune that the authorities had started fumigation campaign in different areas.
He claimed that a majority of residents do not know about the activity as spraying is conducted early in the morning and in the evening in the open areas, while residential areas have not been covered so far.
Jappa further said that RCB has two fumigation machines and six other spraying machines and that the activity would be intensified.
In contrast, the Rawalpindi city district government and district health department have been fumigating different areas of the city to eliminate dengue-carrying mosquito for over a week.
Meanwhile, in a meeting held at the district coordination officer’s (DCO) office, it was conveyed that six private hospitals in the city have extended their services to treat the dengue patients.
Ahmed Medical Complex Sadiqabad has offered 30 beds, Aziz Nursing Home has offered 30 beds, Bilal Medical Centre offered 15 beds, Social Security Hospital offered 100 beds, Railway Hospital had offered 16 beds and Islamabad International Medical College Hospital offered 10 beds devoted to the treatment of dengue virus patients.
The meeting was attended by MNA Hanif Abbasi, DCO Saqib Zafar, Rawalpindi Medical College Principal Dr Muhammad Afzal Farooqi, and the representatives of private hospitals.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2011.
Despite six confirmed cases of dengue and the increasing threat of its spread, fumigation has yet to be carried out in areas under the control of the Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards.
Citizens living in cantonment areas have expressed concerns over the worsening situation and urged the Rawapindi Cantonment Board (RCB) and Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) authorities to fumigate the areas on an urgent basis.
On the other hand, the district administration and elected representatives of the public continue to make arrangements to counter the spread of the mosquito-borne disease in the city. In the process, six of the city’s private hospitals have agreed to make arrangements to treat dengue patients.
Moreover, a cell-separator machine to extract platelets from blood has reached Benazir Bhutto Hospital, and the same facility will be available at Holy Family Hospital in two days. The facility has been provided by the provincial government to ensure the availability of platelets.
“A young man from our locality was taken to hospital as he was suffering from high fever, which was later confirmed to be dengue fever,” said Kashif Ali, a resident of Dehri Hasanabad in CCB.
Another case was reported from the Koh-i-Noor Mills area in RCB. The patient was taken to District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ), where a blood test confirmed his status.
According to official data from the city’s three major public hospitals, 40 suspected patients and 18 confirmed patients are being treated by them. Six of the 18 confirmed patients from the whole of Rawalpindi division are from the cantonment areas.
In response, RCB Additional Executive Officer Shakeel Anwar Jappa told The Express Tribune that the authorities had started fumigation campaign in different areas.
He claimed that a majority of residents do not know about the activity as spraying is conducted early in the morning and in the evening in the open areas, while residential areas have not been covered so far.
Jappa further said that RCB has two fumigation machines and six other spraying machines and that the activity would be intensified.
In contrast, the Rawalpindi city district government and district health department have been fumigating different areas of the city to eliminate dengue-carrying mosquito for over a week.
Meanwhile, in a meeting held at the district coordination officer’s (DCO) office, it was conveyed that six private hospitals in the city have extended their services to treat the dengue patients.
Ahmed Medical Complex Sadiqabad has offered 30 beds, Aziz Nursing Home has offered 30 beds, Bilal Medical Centre offered 15 beds, Social Security Hospital offered 100 beds, Railway Hospital had offered 16 beds and Islamabad International Medical College Hospital offered 10 beds devoted to the treatment of dengue virus patients.
The meeting was attended by MNA Hanif Abbasi, DCO Saqib Zafar, Rawalpindi Medical College Principal Dr Muhammad Afzal Farooqi, and the representatives of private hospitals.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2011.