So far 18 people have died from dengue across the province. The latest person to die was on Sunday at Aga Khan University Hospital.
Meanwhile, two children died of the dengue virus in Sukkur on Saturday because they were not treated in time, families alleged. Health experts said about 2.5 million people fall victim to dengue fever each year while the world-wide death toll is over 24,000.
A seminar was organised at Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) on Saturday by the Hepatitis Control Programme and the Sindh government.
CHK Department of Medicine Professor Khalid Mehmood explained that dengue is a curable disease that has been reported around the world for centuries. “Instead of being scared of the virus, people should get tested,” he suggested.
Dr Iftikhar of the same department explained the difference between dengue and malaria mosquitoes. “The mosquitoes of dengue breed in clean water while the mosquitoes of malaria breed in dirty water,” he said.
The focal person for the dengue surveillance cell, Dr Shakeel Mullick, said wards for dengue patients have been set up in different hospitals of the province including Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, CHK and Qatar Hospital, where patients are being treated free of charge.
“They only have to pay for platelets and 192 patients have been provided with platelets,” he added.
Hyderabad focal person Dr Ahmed Hyder advised people to get tested if they suffered from headaches, the chills, nausea, vomiting, and backaches.
In the later stages a person can get leg or joint pains, swelling of the glands, red eye, pale pink rashes on the body and high temperatures of up to 104 F, he added.
Approximately 1,810 people have tested positive for and many of them are still facing difficulties due to the shortage of platelet kits in hospitals around the city.
According to the ministry of health, 1,000 people in Punjab are suffering from the virus, 99 in Hyderabad, 430 in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, 150 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and five in Azad Kashmir.
The government has ordered fumigation drives all over Sindh to kill dengue mosquitoes, said officials. “The dengue season will end in winter,” assured Dr Zahid Ansari.
Thirteen more people, including two children, have been diagnosed with the dengue virus in Sindh in the past 24 hours.
According to the focal person for the dengue virus surveillance cell in Hyderabad, persons in Hyderabad district who tested positive include Mukhtiar Amriyo, Darru Babr, Ayesha, Shakir, Haji Muhammad Suleman, Amir Ali Zaidi, Dr Shafee Sheikh, Khadim Hussain Bhatti, three-year-old Hafiza, six-year-old Wasan Bhagro from Badin, Saima, Shafiq Rajput and his wife from Shahdadpur. Eleven of these patients have been admitted to the Civil Hospital Hyderabad.
Health minister visits CHK
Sindh Health Minister Sagheer Ahmed visited Civil Hospital, Karachi on Sunday to survey the work being done by the Dengue Surveillance Cell. He announced that the cell will now be working 24 hours a day.
Also, dengue kits at the cost of Rs7.5 million have been sanctioned by the government while Rs5 million worth of platelet bags will also be given to the health department.
The kits and bags are expected to arrive by Thursday and will be available at all government hospitals, Ahmed said.
Last week, 100 bags were given to NIBD and Hussaini Blood Bank, who are now collaborating with the dengue cell.
With additional input from ONLINE/PPI
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2010.
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