Coordinated efforts Needed to Fight Dengue Cases

KARACHI- Programme Manager, Prevention and Control Program of Dengue Sindh(PCPD), Dr Abdul Rasheed Sheikh, on Thursday stressed the need of enhancing the coordination between civic institutions and programme management as lack of coordination affecting dengue control activities in Sindh province.

Speaking to the media persons during a press conference, Dr Abdul Rasheed Sheikh said all government departments were bound to coordinate with dengue control programme for dengue control strategies under Sindh government act and notices would be served to concerned department in case of noncooperation.

He informed that a total 2,927 dengue fever cases had been reported throughout the Sindh province in 2017 out of which 2,889 were detected in Karachi. He informed that 90 per cent dengue cases were reported from Karachi city alone. He informed that District Central and Districts East were leading in dengue cases last year with 497 and 349 patients, respectively.

Dr Sheikh said monitoring of private and public sector hospitals have been increases significantly and presently about 13 major hospitals of the city regularly reporting to dengue program, while 58 health facilities across Sindh province were also sharing data to programme management.

He said PCPD teams were conducting fumigation campaigns in different areas of Karachi after obtaining data of patients from hospitals. He hoped that number of dengue cases is likely to reduce this year. He said dengue virus is traveling in 110 countries and millions of people fall victim dengue viral fever annually in the world.

He called for coordinated efforts needed from the all the stockholders of society including KMC, health department, media and community to control prevalence of dengue, Chikungunya and other vector-borne diseases in future.