Mosquito bites: ‘44 dengue cases reported in Karachi in one week’

The Dengue Prevention and Control Programme manager says the numbers are normal.

KARACHI: According to a weekly report issued by the health department, 44 cases of dengue fever were reported from Karachi alone from April 27 till May 3. This brings the total number of reported cases in the city to 270 since January.

Health officials and the city administration are aware of the appalling numbers but are pretty much helpless as the provincial Dengue Prevention and Control Programme (DPCP) lacks resources. "There is not a single penny for the whole programme," said a health official. "Only meetings are being held. No one pushes the authorities to release the required funds for the programme."

Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui disagreed. "I don't think there is any financial problem with the programme," he said. The commissioner said that all the officials are completely aware of the sensitivity of the issue. "We can't compromise on human lives," he said, adding that all the required activities are being carried out in various parts of the metropolis. He further said that fumigation has been started in cantonment areas and awareness sessions are also being conducted.

According to DPCP manager Dr Shakeel Aamir Mullick, the increasing number of cases was quite normal. "We had almost the same number of patients last year," he said, adding that only one death was reported last year in February. "We have to control mortality," he said.

Mullick said that, once the disease hits a certain area, it was not possible to completely eradicate it. "We have to take preventive measures and we are doing so," he said.

While the report said that 27 patients were treated at public and private hospitals and 17 others were admitted in hospitals, Mullick said that no one was admitted in hospitals.

According to health officials, a funding request was sent by the DPCP when Iftikhar Shalwani was the provincial health secretary. They said that required funds have yet to be released despite another request sent to the new secretary, Saeed Ahmed Mangrejo.

Health officials further said that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation has handed over some vehicles for fumigation but they are not being used. A single vehicle costs over Rs4,500 per hour. "This amount is required only for fuel," said officials. They further criticised the provincial government for setting up the DPCP with just a programme manager.

Most of the dengue cases are being reported from Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Malir, Saddar and North Nazimabad. According to health officials, the health workers must start spray campaigns in areas such as construction sites, graveyards, tyre shops, drainages and other locations where dengue mosquitoes can be born.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2015.