The dengue surge

Dengue has become an entrenched public health problem in Pakistan, exposing the inadequacy of preventive healthcare and the failure of successive administrations to contain a disease whose transmission patterns are well understood. Despite years of recurring outbreaks, the country continues to experience a substantial rise in infections during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons.

Karachi alone has recorded 2,369 infections this year, exceeding the combined tally of 2,100 cases reported across the rest of Sindh. The province registered 2,055 cases during September and October, surpassing the infections recorded in the preceding eight months. The situation is equally concerning in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where more than 5,200 cases had been reported by late October, with Kohat emerging as a major hotspot. The persistence of dengue is particularly indefensible because its prevention does not depend on medical breakthroughs or expensive technological interventions. The breeding habits of the Aedes mosquito are well documented, as are the environmental conditions that facilitate its proliferation. Yet poorly maintained drainage systems, uncovered water storage facilities, neglected public spaces and inadequate waste management continue to provide favourable breeding grounds. Urban expansion has further complicated the problem, with densely populated neighbourhoods frequently lacking the municipal infrastructure required to minimise exposure. Effective prevention requires systematic identification and elimination of breeding sites. Hospitals must also maintain adequate diagnostic facilities along with clear treatment protocols to prevent avoidable complications and deaths.

Equally important is the establishment of reliable disease surveillance systems capable of identifying localised increases in transmission before they develop into widespread outbreaks. The occurrence of dengue every season reflects administrative neglect as much as environmental vulnerability. Provincial health departments and municipal authorities must be made jointly responsible for sustained vector control.