Looming predicament: Dengue could spell disaster, if not curtailed

Health experts fear that situation could worsen if govt does not act.

ISLAMABAD: Health experts fear that if the spread of dengue mosquito larva is not controlled this year, the disease could wreak havoc in the coming years. In a discussion at the Health Service Academy (HAS) on Monday, health officials from the capital held the city managements and government agencies responsible for the recent outbreak of the disease in the country.

Dr Humayun Rathore, who was conducting the workshop, told the participants that if the spread of dengue mosquito is not controlled then the death toll could raise from 2% to 20% in the following seasons.

The female dengue mosquito survives on human blood and lives in areas where there is clean water or moisture. The breeding season of dengue mosquitoes will continue till December therefore there is a dire need to take precautionary measures to avoid the bite.

The entomologist also expressed concern over the shortage of experts on dengue fever across the country. He said currently four types of dengue viruses are found in the country and their presence could be very dangerous.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a vector control expert who is working closely with the government said the presence of dengue mosquito larva could be found at many sites in Punjab, mostly at homes.

He said it is believed that majority of the deaths of dengue patients were due to “ignorant” doctors, who did not know the treatment mechanisms.

The patient having dengue fever for the first time is not at risk, however lack of proper treatment the second time can lead to death. “Unfortunately there are many doctors who create complications by treating the patients in a manner which is not required, this can also result into serious troubles,” he said.

Dr Javed Hayat, Deputy Medical Superintendent (DMS) Holy Family Hospital (HFH) Rawalpindi said, “The widely believed notion that dengue fever directly results in death is wrong.”

Patients of dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome, which is the second or third stage of the disease, are at the real risk of a life-threatening condition, he added.

Similarly, Dr Zubair Ahmed from District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ) Rawalpindi said that after an early diagnose of the dengue fever, serology of the patient should be done after four days.

“The correct result of the disease can only be achieved after four days of fever,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th,  2011.