‘Most dengue patients in Gulshan Town’
This fund will be spent on ensuring that testing services, diagnosis centres and platelets bags are available for patients, said Dr Ahmed in a meeting held at the Sindh Secretariat. He added that the government will also create awareness about the virus and use the media to inform people of preventive measures.
According to data collected by the health ministry, Gulshan Town has the highest number of dengue-positive patients, out of a total 1,833 cases in the city. Dr Ahmed pointed out, however, that these figures include data of the two major private hospitals in this town where patients come from across the city. Gadap, Keamari and Malir towns also have a big share in these figures, he said.
When it comes to the entire province, Karachi has the highest incidence of dengue. The total number of patients reported in Sindh is 1,984. So far, 15 patients from Karachi and two from other parts of Sindh have died, the minister said.
A total of 4,000 patients have been tested for dengue and the government has provided 353 platelets bags to needy people, he said.
Dr Ahmed added that cell separator and cell agitator machines are already present in all teaching hospitals of the city and government hospitals in Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Larkana and Sukkur.
The government has placed an order for the testing ‘Rapid Antigen Kits’ worth Rs5 million.
The kit is expected to be delivered from France in a day or two and it will reach hospitals by this Friday. These kits will ensure testing of another 10,000 patients.
The government has also purchased platelets worth Rs7.5 million and distributed them to hospitals. It also plans on starting an independent fumigation campaign of a few high risk areas.
Directives have been sent to the livestock department, as well as the DHOs and district administrations, to be careful about sanitation around Eidul Azha so that the congo virus does not spread through animals.
Call local govt for fumigation: Durrani
If anyone wants fumigation in their area, they should contact their taluka municipal administration, said Sindh Minster for Local Government Agha Siraj Durani during the Sindh Assembly session on Monday.
Elected representatives will be involved in tackling the dengue virus in order to protect people, Durrani said, adding that all DCOs and TMOs have been instructed to ensure fumigation in their areas.
All arrangements to treat the dengue virus have been completed, said city administrator Fazlur Rehman, adding that platelets are available in sufficient quantities and two special wards have been established in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
The city government has made an agreement with a private company to supply platelets to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and other hospitals, said Rehman during a visit to Razzaqabad, Bin Qasim Town on Sunday.
During the fumigation of Bin Qasim Town, the relief camps for flood survivors were also covered.
Additional input from PPI
Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2010.
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