The fear of dengue virus is apparent in Lahore despite the tall claims of the health department and city district government.
More than 300 cases of dengue were confirmed in Lahore during last one month, Pakistan Today has learnt. As many as 30 cases of NS 1 test were positive and most of the cases were reported from Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and surrounding areas. The NS 1 test is a test for dengue virus introduced in 2006 and it can detect the virus on the first day of the fever.
Dr Salman Kazmi, general secretary of Young Doctor’s Association (YDA) Pakistan, told this scribe that the ongoing season is the most suitable for the growth of dengue larva and everyone must take precautionary measures in order to avoid the dengue fever.
“The awareness campaign is mandatory to give the basic knowledge of dengue fever to everyone and I have compiled a book carrying basic knowledge about some 30 viral diseases and the book will be in the market very soon,” Kazmi said.
According to him, people should wear full sleeve shirts and avoid morning and evening walks in lawns.
Waqas Ali, an attendant of a patient at Mayo Hospital dengue ward, said his brother was a suspect of dengue fever as the report of his test was being waited. Dr Zukhruf, who was doing his duty at Mayo Hospital dengue ward, said there were five suspected patients of dengue fever at his ward as their test reports had not been received yet.
“The fluid management is very important in the dengue fever and special care of suspected patients is being ensured in this ward,” he said.
The dengue virus prevails in more than 190 countries and it is a unique feature of this virus that it definitely returns to the area where the virus has visited before. So, the government carries a rigorous surveillance every year to counter the threat of this epidemic. An awareness campaign was launched by the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) this year too against the fatal virus.
District Coordination Officer (DCO) Captain (r) Muhammad Usman Younis visited different areas of the city to monitor the anti-dengue activities. According to him, the threat of dengue was not over yet as dengue larvae was found in some parts of the city. He said some families were not allowing the anti-dengue teams to visit their residences and therefore, the patients of dengue may increase.
“All the town administrators must inspect the working of anti-dengue teams in their respective areas to monitor the indoor and outdoor surveillance,” he said and urged the citizens to adopt precautionary measures.
The ongoing season and weather conditions were suitable for the growth of dengue larvae as this larva grows naturally in the accumulated water.
It is pertinent to mention here that most of the dengue cases were reported from DHA and surrounding areas because of ongoing construction work there. The dengue larva also grows rapidly in the debris of under construction buildings because water is accumulated there.
A meeting of cabinet committee on dengue has been called for today (Friday) at Punjab Civil Secretariat to evaluate the ground situation of the virus that went epidemic in the province during 2011 when nearly 250 people lost their lives.
Akhlaq Ali Khan, the spokesperson for the provincial health department, told Pakistan Today that dengue could not be eliminated or eradicated as it could only be controlled, and Punjab government had shown in the past that it had the ability to control it effectively.
“Foreign experts have lauded the abilities of Punjab government regarding dengue control,” he said, and added the common citizens must play their role in controlling it.
The suspected patients should avoid going to general practitioners or quacks in their surrounding areas and must visit a public health care facility to get timely treatment, he concluded.
