Sindh Dengue Fever Prevention and Control Centre has registered 67 more cases of viral disease between August 17 to 23, bringing the total number to 850 in the current year.
To address the situation, ensuring that it does not get further aggravated, the provincial health department on Monday, in coordination with KMC, launched an anti dengue spray campaign involving vehicles of varied sizes.
Sindh Health Minister Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar, formally inaugurated the campaign and said that it was a matter of serious concern for him that of the 850 dengue fever cases in Karachi, three people could not survive as they developed severe complications.
He said other parts of the province also registered 29 cases and it was important that preventive measures were adopted before the situation got all the more serious.
Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar said all deputy commissioners, across the province have been directed to cooperate with the teams of health department in its spray campaign.
The minister said isolation wards in Civil Hospital, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Lyari Hospital are also being upgraded.
“From Tuesday social mobilisers will be activated and engaged in distribution of pamphlets carrying awareness about dengue fever, its different stages and modes to prevent,” said the provincial health minister.
The first phase of the exercise was said to start from roundabouts around Sindh Secretariat and Civic Centre simultaneously and gradually spread across the entire city.
The minister said that relevant pamphlets and hand bills have already been handed to educational institutions and Masjids.
He on the occasion urged the Dengue Prevention and Control Program Manager, Dr. Masood Solangi, to ensure foolproof arrangements for the success of the campaign.
