Health emergency demanded in Hyd

Dengue death toll hits 16, social activists criticise private hospitals for exploiting patients

HYDERABAD:

Social activists have urged the Sindh government to immediately declare a health emergency in Hyderabad in response to the alarming rise in dengue cases and related deaths. They called for the formation of a dedicated task force and the provision of free dengue testing in both public and private hospitals.

Speaking at a press conference at the Hyderabad Press Club, activist Imran Suharwardy-joined by Alhaj Gulshan Ilahi Qadri, Advocate Tahir Rajput, Advocate Zafar Arain, Nazish Fatima, Abdul Ghani Shah, Salman Zaidi, and Mukhtar Ahmed-confirmed that 16 people have died from dengue in the city. They blamed the health department, district administration, and municipal officials for negligence, stating that thousands have been infected and hundreds remain ill, yet authorities are unwilling to disclose the true scale of the outbreak.

"Dengue has become more dangerous than Covid-19," Suharwardy said, highlighting the severe lack of medical facilities and unavailability of medicines in government hospitals. He added that the Sindh health department, Hyderabad's District Health Officer (DHO), and private labs are not sharing data, leaving the public in the dark about the actual number of cases and deaths.

The activists criticized private hospitals for exploiting dengue patients for profit and alleged that corruption has crippled Hyderabad's Civil Hospital. They noted that even taluka-level hospitals lack basic facilities. As the disease spreads, the prices of medicines and medical equipment have reportedly doubled.

They also revealed that a special dengue ward established at Hilal-e-Ahmer Hospital in Latifabad Unit 6 on the deputy commissioner's orders was later shut down by hospital management. "Hospitals are overflowing with patients, but there aren't enough beds," they said, warning that the situation is deteriorating daily.

Although an FIR was initially planned over dengue-related deaths, the victims' families were unwilling to pursue legal action. The activists are now consulting lawyers and plan to approach the High Court against the responsible authorities.

They demanded that the Sindh government appoint an inquiry commission to investigate administrative failures and inform the public of the true situation. They also called for the immediate formation of a dengue task force and the urgent supply of medicines and medical facilities to government hospitals.