Public complaints regarding the growing spread of dengue fever in Hyderabad have now reached the courts, potentially dragging local authorities into legal proceedings. A citizen, recently diagnosed with dengue, has demanded the registration of an FIR naming the mayor, deputy commissioner, district health officer, Hussainabad town chairman, and two medical superintendents as accused.
The Model Criminal Trial Court I, Hyderabad, on Saturday directed the SP Complaint Cell and SHO of Qasimabad police station to submit their replies by October 15, explaining why an FIR was not registered following the complaint by Muhammad Haroon Jatoi, the applicant and a practicing lawyer.
Jatoi, through his counsel Advocate Shakir Mehmood, alleged that the accused officials - including Mayor Kashif Ali Shoro, DC Zain-ul-Abedin Memon, and the District Health Officer - neglected their duties to control vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria by timely draining stagnant water and conducting fumigation. He claimed their negligence directly contributed to the loss of innocent lives.
The complainant himself contracted dengue and during treatment witnessed numerous other patients suffering from the disease alongside inadequate facilities and absent medical staff at government hospitals. Efforts to get an FIR registered through the police station and the SP Complaint Cell proved unsuccessful, prompting the legal plea citing public interest.
Despite widespread reports of dengue in Hyderabad, the Sindh Directorate General of Health Services reported only 24 cases by October 10, with 183 cases recorded in September - significantly lower than figures from previous years: 365 (2024), 431 (2023), 7,585 (2022), and 640 (2021).
An ENT doctor, speaking anonymously, confirmed contracting dengue recently and observed that many patients prefer home treatment or private practitioners over government hospitals.
In response to the escalating threat, Mayor Shoro, on September 20, instructed chairmen, Town Municipal Commissioners, and secretaries of nine Town Municipal Corporations and 160 Union Committees to draft and publicly share a detailed schedule of dengue fumigation activities. He stressed the urgent need for coordinated preventive measures, including clearing clogged drains and stagnant rainwater.
Despite a two-day deadline, no progress reports on the implementation of these directives have been shared with the public, raising further concerns about the effectiveness of dengue control efforts in the city.
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