Substandard dengue kits

The recent wave of dengue and malaria in Karachi is undoubtedly a direct consequence of the most recent urban flooding, the stagnant water that followed as well as a dire lack of consistent sanitation practices. And as water wreaks havoc on this city like clockwork every year, so does the burden of illness on a faction of the population already weighed down by everyday inflation. This time around, a new monster has sprung up during these end-of-year rituals in the form of shady laboratories, cheap testing kits and inaccurate results.

During this seasonal outbreak, a visit to the doctor is often punctuated by medical tests that cost thousands of rupees at a reputable diagnostic centre - only to be followed by even more expensive treatments and transfusions if dengue is detected. For poor patients, if an alternate exists that charges them half of this cost, opting for it is an obvious choice despite the risks attached. The smaller laboratories that offer cheaper testing mostly utilise substandard testing kits which, according to a 2019 study conducted in Pakistan, are only about 70 per cent accurate. The remaining 30 per cent may not seem like a significant gap but it can be the difference between life and death for some. Dengue is a serious illness which, if left untreated, can cause organ failure and lead to death. Therefore, inaccurate results and mismatched treatment plans can be the very factors that lead patients to their demise instead of the illness itself.

The Sindh Healthcare Commission chairman has recently declared new reduced prices for dengue-related tests, which is a step in the right direction. But it needs to be complemented by driving underprivileged patients towards laboratories with reliable tests and reduced prices, which can only be done if smaller labs are shut down.