Monsoons approach: Dengue spread feared as officials fail to allocate funds for prevention

Some officials say number of deaths could be even higher as no data-recording mechanism is in place.

KARACHI: The dengue epidemic may be at its worse this year but the provincial government seems 'indifferent' as officials disclose that they don't have any budget to address the issue - at least not for Karachi.

During a meeting on Monday on the current situation of  dengue and Naegleria Fowleri in the city, Karachi commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui was informed by different departments, including the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the Sindh Dengue Prevention and Control Programme (SDPCP) that inadequate funds could make the situation worse.



According to official figures, six persons have died while 300 dengue fever cases have been registered in different hospitals. Some officials have also said that the number of deaths could be even higher as there is no mechanism in place to record actual data.

During the meeting, Siddiqui nearly shouted his disapproval at the lack of measures taken by the different departments. "Who is responsible for deaths in the city this year?"

SDPCP programme manager Dr Shakeel Mullik informed him that they were planning to register hospitals. Karachi executive district officer Dr Zafar Ejaz added that mosquito nets had also been distributed and an awareness campaign had also been kicked off in all the towns. During the meeting, the officials of the KMC claimed that all necessary steps were being taken to curb dengue. However, it was also revealed in the meeting that fumigation has not been carried out in any part of the city due to a lack of funds.

"I am personally involved in the task," said the senior director medical and health services, Dr Salma Kausar Ali, adding that she lost her eldest son to dengue fever in 2011. "He was just 23 when he died in Lahore. I am personally involved and don't want another Haris [her son] to lose his life because of the fever."

Over 5,500 people were diagnosed with the fever last year across the province while the registered death toll was 32. Health experts believe that the number of patients will multiply soon after the monsoon rains and it emerged during the meeting that the government, health department and other officials responsible for the task had not taken any concrete measure to prevent it so far.

An official of the SDPCP programme informed The Express Tribune after the meeting that the finance department was not releasing the allocated funds. "This progamme has no funds to carry out any of its set goals," he added.

The programme was initiated with the efforts of the health secretary Iqbal Hussain Durrani who has been on leave since his differences with the Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed. "Durrani wants to establish a laboratory but the finance department is not even ready to help us address the basic issues," the official disclosed.

Naegleria

"We are trying to maintain chlorine levels in all parts of the city," said focal person Azam Khan when the subject of the latest health threat to the city, Naeglaria Fowleri, was raised. He said that there were some complaints of Naeglaria in certain parts of the city. Some of the officials complained during the meeting that the industrial waste was one of the major reasons behind the bacteria. The commissioner concluded that he would take action on the matter himself soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2014.