PESHAWAR, Pakistan: The dengue rampage continued in Peshawar, claiming seven lives with 69 new cases reported from different areas of the city during last 24 hours, raising the number of total cases to 1703.
The mosquito-borne disease has become out of control in provincial metropolis as 1703 cases were officially reported so far in Peshawar till August 23, exposing PTI government’s inability to control viral diseases in the province.
Dr. Muhammad Sohaib, Focal Person for office of Deputy Commission Peshawar for Dengue’s prevention and control programme told APP on Thursday the cases of dengue were on the rise from different areas of Peshawar and 69 new cases were surfaced during last 24 hours.
So far, he said, seven deaths including six from Khyber Teaching Hospital and one in Hayatabad Medical Complex were reported from dengue epidemics in Peshawar.
Out of 69 new cases, 41 were reported in Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), 13 in Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), 12 in Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) and three in Naseerullah Khan Babar Teaching Hospital (NBTH), Peshawar, he said.
Dr. Shoaib said a total of 1703 dengue positive cases were reported including 1297 in KTH, 339 in HMC, 51 in LRH and 16 in NBTH till August 23, 2017 against whom 664 were admitted, 366 discharged and 292 was still admitted.
He said 520 dengue patients admitted in KTH against whom 294 discharged and 220 were still admitted whereas 77 patients were hospitalized in HMC against whom 42 discharged and 35 were still admitted.
Dr Shoaib said 20 patients discharged after admission of 51 patients in LRH while 31 are still admitted in the largest hospital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Naseerullah Khan Babar Teaching hospital had received 16 patients and all of them were admitted against whom 10 were discharged so far and six are still receiving treatment. All the patients belonged to the most affected areas of Tehkal, Peshtakhara and Warsak Road, he explained.
More than 58 teams, each carrying four members including one fumigation specialist, two lady health workers and one female community worker were taking part in anti dengue house to house campaign on the pattern of polio eradication in the most affected areas of Tehkal Bala, Tehkla Payan and Peshtakhara, he informed.
A Rapid Response Team has also been setup with mandate to swiftly reach to the affected areas from where new cases were surfaced besides helping the field staff in conduct of fumigation spray, removal of larwa and provision of other necessary medicines in times of need.
The KP Health Department has operationalized Public Health Response Lab (PHRL) at Khyber Medical University (KMU) Peshawar with latest facilities for diagnoses of dengue virus and other ailments tasked to compile results within a day.
Dr Shoaib said the teams of KPK government and Punjab government Health Department with specialists’ doctors and paramedics were busy in treatment of patients in different camps and hospitals of Peshawar.
The medical teams of Punjab government in Peshawar have treated 2,062 patients and screened 595 individuals against whom dengue virus was confirmed in 175 people till Tuesday, doctors of Punjab here told APP.
Meanwhile, the KP Health Department has written a letter to the Education Department KP and sought its active role in creation of awareness and education among students to control the disease.
In the letter, the Education Department was advised to direct students to wear full sleeves and use mosquito repellent ointments. The administration of educational institutes has been directed to modify the timings of morning Assembly as normally dengue mosquito attacks in that time period.
Also, the administrations were directed to halt all construction activities in the affected areas till the outbreak is over in, arrange regular awareness sessions with students and teachers, media and ensure no container, water tank is left with standing water where mosquitoes could breed.
A 17 pages booklet was also published by the KP Government for awareness and education of students against causes, prevention and treatment of dengue diseases, which was dispatched to the Education Department for onwards distribution among students and teachers of the affected areas.
Special anti dengue help desks would be setup in all hospitals of Peshawar besides appointment of 17antamologists, starting of cleanliness campaign at mohallah, towns and district level for disposal of solid waste, removal of standing water besides taking help of volunteers in all the districts to overcome on this epidemic.
The KP government has also released Rs20million for treatment of patients, purchase of necessary machines, vaccines, anti-mosquito spray and others necessary items for awareness, prevention and control of the epidemic.
Dr Sohaib said there was no shortage of doctors, paramedics and medicines in hospitals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and sufficient doctors and stock of medicines was available for treatment of dengue patients.
