KARACHI: The Sindh Health Department has decided to provide free of cost screening facilities to patients suspected of chikungunya as well as other mosquito-borne diseases.
Health Director General Dr Muhammad Taufiq, while talking to APP on Thursday, said that relevant diagnostic kits are also being made available at government hospitals scattered across Karachi.
“The kits, under the first phase of the scheme, on an urgent basis will be readily available at the centres functional in the areas with the highest numbers of reported chikungunya,” he said.
Mentioning that it is a new disease for local doctors, he said steps are also underway to enhance technical capacities of paramedics.
In reply to a question, he said screening camps were also held at Ibrahim Hyderi, Korangi, Malir, Orangi Town, Bin Qasim, Lyari, Surjani Town and Keamari so as to assess exact prevalence rate of the ailment.
Equal attention is being paid towards data compilation of associated ailments as dengue and malaria, said Dr Muhammad Taufiq.