2,000 dengue fever cases surfaced in Sindh this year

In 2016, about 2,000 dengue fever cases were reported across the Sindh province, out of which 1,650 were detected from Karachi alone, while dengue claimed four lives in the province so far.

The Sindh Health Department is still reluctant to approve a summary sent by Prevention and Control Programme for Dengue (Sindh) for recruitment of staff to run the programme affairs effectively and efficiently, despite the lapse of several months.

The provincial health department had established a temporary ‘Dengue Surveillance Cell’ at Civil Hospital Karachi in 2005; later, upgraded it to Sindh Prevention and Control Programme for Dengue, but the hiring of staff could not happen.

The Sindh government had approved the PC-1 of the programme for three years (2016 to 2018) in March 2016, and the programme management had been given a task to control the prevalence of dengue in the city.

The recruitment of an additional programme manager, two deputy programme managers, an entomologist, an environment specialist, five social mobilisers, 30 field workers, 10 drivers and other staff could not be ensured yet, as the authorities concerned were reluctant to approve a summary. The purchase of six vans and 30 motorcycles for spray has also been delayed.

The dengue cases have been reported in Sindh province, especially in Karachi city since 2005 to date, but the provincial health department could not devise any comprehensive mechanism to control the spread of dengue from Karachi and other cities of the province.

Sindh Prevention and Control Programme for Dengue Programme Manager Dr Masood Ahmed Solangi, while talking to the news agency, said Sindh secretary health had approved the summary and programme management will start recruitment of the staff after getting formal permission from Sindh health minister.