Dengue cases surge once again in K-P

Dengue cases are increasing day by day in Peshawar and across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), with the provincial government and health department still incapable of containing the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.

In major districts including Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Haripur, Abbotabbad, and Mardan, new dengue cases are being reported daily. Two deaths from dengue have already been reported from Mardan, raising concerns over the government's preparedness.

Despite being the provincial capital, residents of Peshawar have revealed that they are forced to rely on home remedies due to inadequate public healthcare facilities.

Minhaj Uddin, a resident of Tehkal, told The Express Tribune that dengue fever had gripped his entire neighborhood.

"Almost every home in our area has one or two dengue patients. Every year our locality is at high risk, but no fumigation, preventive measures, or awareness campaigns have been conducted by the health department or the Malaria and Dengue Control Program," informed Minhaj.

"In hospitals, every third or fourth patient is suffering from dengue.

There is no proper treatment available in hospitals, even though the K-P government claims to be performing well in the health sector. If that is true, why are people forced to buy their own medicines and manage treatment themselves," questioned Minhaj.

According to the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response System (IDSRS) report issued on November 2, 2025, the total number of confirmed dengue cases in K-P has reached 4,836, while 330 cases are still active. The report added that 1,795 patients were hospitalized and 4,504 have recovered so far.

District-wise data shows that Charsadda tops the list with 1,079 cases reported between January and November 2 and 1,070 recoveries. Peshawar recorded 516 cases with 432 recoveries, Kohat reported 563 cases with 432 recoveries, Mardan reported 429 cases with 379 recoveries, Haripur had 378 cases with 362 recoveries and Mansehra recorded 326 cases with 316 recoveries.

Dr Gul Sartaj, Provincial Surveillance Officer at the IDSRS, told The Express Tribune that the K-P Health Department, in collaboration with the Malaria and Dengue Control Program, was carrying out fumigation drives, larva elimination, and awareness campaigns in vulnerable areas.

Dr Sartaj rejected claims that the department had failed to act, claiming instead that, "The K-P Health Department, IDSRS, and local administrations were trying their best to reach every area and eliminate mosquito breeding sites. So far, two fatalities have been reported across the province."

Dr Sartaj stressed that community awareness remained the most critical factor in preventing dengue outbreaks. "Many people still believe dengue mosquitoes cannot breed in clean water. In reality, most larvae grow in stored household water. People must cover water containers and clean them regularly to prevent mosquito breeding," implored Dr Sartaj.

Public health experts warn that short-term measures are not enough to combat the growing dengue threat in K-P, emphasizing that climate change, poor waste management, stagnant water, and unplanned urbanization have created ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Experts urge the government to adopt a year-round dengue prevention strategy focused on environmental cleanliness, early surveillance, and community engagement.