PHC reviews dengue response amid outbreak

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed the petitioner's counsel to review the report submitted by the Director General (DG) of Health regarding the growing spread of dengue virus across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the alleged lack of facilities for patients in hospitals.

The directive came during the hearing of a petition filed by Advocate Saif Mohib Kakakhel, presided over by Chief Justice Justice SM Atiq Shah. During the proceedings, the DG Health appeared before the court and informed that the Health Department was taking all necessary measures to control dengue, including the establishment of dedicated wards for patients in major hospitals, and that facilities were being provided to them. He added that a comprehensive report had been submitted to the court.

Petitioner Saif Mohib Kakakhel, however, contended that the dengue was spreading rapidly, with almost every household in Peshawar reporting two or more infected individuals. He alleged that despite government announcements, no practical steps had been taken to curb the outbreak. Hospitals and laboratories, he said, were overcrowded as the number of patients surged. He further claimed that even ICU beds were unavailable across the province, contrary to the Health Department's claim of having 1,600 beds.