Death to dengue : Health authorities vow to eradicate disease from Swat
Say Malakand now well-equipped to handle killer virus.
Around 13,000 dengue cases were reported in 2013 and many of them proved fatal. Most of them were reported from Malakand and around 5,000, were admitted to the Saidu Teaching Hospital. PHOTO: SHAHID ALI/EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
An unlucky 13 people are suspected to have contracted dengue in the northern districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Two of the cases have been confirmed. However, the provincial government is adamant it will not let the disease surface.
Around 13,000 dengue cases were reported in 2013 and many of them proved fatal. Most of them were reported from Malakand and around 5,000, were admitted to the Saidu Teaching Hospital (STH).
Since a majority of cases were confirmed from Swat and adjacent districts, the area was termed a breeding ground for the deadly virus. However, officials said it is no longer the case as the area was cleared following intensive campaigns. As a result, the cases dropped drastically in the region.
Health officials said fumigation was carried out in almost every corner of the district and awareness campaigns were carried out with the assistance of lady health workers who went door to door.
They added people are now aware that dengue can be fatal and that is the reason locals adopted a series of precautions and followed the advice of
district administration and health department officials.
“If you compare the current situation to that of 2013, there is a sharp decline in the number of patients which
fell from 13,000 to just two,” K-P Health Secretary Mushtaq Jadoon told The Express Tribune.
He said curbing the deadly virus would have been impossible if provincial and district health authorities had not taken immediate measures to kill the larvae. Jadoon pointed out that although fumigation is the best solution, it doesn’t come without side-effects.
Speaking about STH, he said the institute handled the maximum number of patients and was consequently provided with a well-equipped isolation ward.
“Taking into account the number of patients reported from hilly and cold areas, we extended complete support and released funds for isolation wards in not just Swat but also Abbottabad, Mansehra and Shangla,” Jadoon said.
He added the provincial government closely monitored the situation
and kept in constant contact with health officials.
STH Medical Superintendent Dr Taj Muhammad Khan said the situation is completely under control and only two cases were confirmed.
“Setting up an isolation ward is not a big deal, but trained staff and awareness among people is key. So far, we have been successful with both.”
Khan confirmed that fumigation and awareness campaigns helped overcome the virus.
A health department report available with The Express Tribune, dating August 28, said dengue larvae were still present in around 1,246 places of Swat Valley.
Swat Health Spokesperson Syed Mohiuddin said the fourth round of the dengue campaign was completed throughout the district and officials visited 56,093 places in various union councils to check for larvae.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2015.
An unlucky 13 people are suspected to have contracted dengue in the northern districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Two of the cases have been confirmed. However, the provincial government is adamant it will not let the disease surface.
Around 13,000 dengue cases were reported in 2013 and many of them proved fatal. Most of them were reported from Malakand and around 5,000, were admitted to the Saidu Teaching Hospital (STH).
Since a majority of cases were confirmed from Swat and adjacent districts, the area was termed a breeding ground for the deadly virus. However, officials said it is no longer the case as the area was cleared following intensive campaigns. As a result, the cases dropped drastically in the region.
Health officials said fumigation was carried out in almost every corner of the district and awareness campaigns were carried out with the assistance of lady health workers who went door to door.
They added people are now aware that dengue can be fatal and that is the reason locals adopted a series of precautions and followed the advice of
district administration and health department officials.
“If you compare the current situation to that of 2013, there is a sharp decline in the number of patients which
fell from 13,000 to just two,” K-P Health Secretary Mushtaq Jadoon told The Express Tribune.
He said curbing the deadly virus would have been impossible if provincial and district health authorities had not taken immediate measures to kill the larvae. Jadoon pointed out that although fumigation is the best solution, it doesn’t come without side-effects.
Speaking about STH, he said the institute handled the maximum number of patients and was consequently provided with a well-equipped isolation ward.
“Taking into account the number of patients reported from hilly and cold areas, we extended complete support and released funds for isolation wards in not just Swat but also Abbottabad, Mansehra and Shangla,” Jadoon said.
He added the provincial government closely monitored the situation
and kept in constant contact with health officials.
STH Medical Superintendent Dr Taj Muhammad Khan said the situation is completely under control and only two cases were confirmed.
“Setting up an isolation ward is not a big deal, but trained staff and awareness among people is key. So far, we have been successful with both.”
Khan confirmed that fumigation and awareness campaigns helped overcome the virus.
A health department report available with The Express Tribune, dating August 28, said dengue larvae were still present in around 1,246 places of Swat Valley.
Swat Health Spokesperson Syed Mohiuddin said the fourth round of the dengue campaign was completed throughout the district and officials visited 56,093 places in various union councils to check for larvae.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2015.