By Muhammad Qasim
Confirmation of at least two cases of dengue fever belonging to Islamabad and one from Rawalpindi within past two weeks hints that control on vector causing the infection could not be made possible despite tall claims repeatedly made by district, provincial and federal administrations.
Last week, five confirmed cases of the infection were admitted at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), two residents of Islamabad while one each from Kotli, AJK, Abbottabad and Haripur.
Another confirmed patient of dengue fever, Irfan, aged 27, a resident of Kalyam Awan, Rawalpindi, has been undergoing treatment at Holy Family Hospital since September 29.
Health experts started fearing outbreak of dengue fever in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi because of consistently increasing reports of confirmation of patients with the infection. However, the PIMS and administration of the allied hospitals in Rawalpindi claimed of being well prepared to deal with an expected spike of the infection.
“We have so far suspected a total of 47 patients for dengue fever of which 16 were tested positive by National Institute of Health, Islamabad,” said HFH chief Dr Syed Abid Hussain Shah while talking to ‘The News’ Saturday. He added the hospital has already established an isolation ward to keep dengue fever patients.
To a query, he said that in the recent past, no death was reported at the HFH due to the infection. “Presently admitted confirmed patient Irfan is also stable and would be discharged after achieving complete cure,” he said.
Official spokesman of PIMS Dr Wasim Ahmed Khawaja, when contacted, confirmed that the PIMS has witnessed confirmed patients of the infection belonging to Islamabad that proves the existence of Aedes Aegypti, the vector causing dengue fever, in town.
To a query, he said that apart from confirmed patients of dengue fever who were admitted at PIMS recently, the hospital has received and treated positive cases of the infection at its Outpatient Department.
Acting medical superintendent of Benazir Bhutto Hospital Dr Fiaz Ahmed when contacted said that in a meeting with medical superintendents of teaching hospitals of Punjab province on Thursday, provincial Director General Health Dr Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam asked teaching hospitals to be ready to deal with dengue fever cases and to establish isolation wards for the purpose.
He said the BBH has already established isolation ward, however, within past one month, the hospital has received no patient of the infection.
It is important that the outbreak of dengue fever in Pakistan has triggered serious alarms within past three years. The studies recently conducted reveal that more than one third of the world’s population might face consequences of the spread of dengue fever in near future if proper preventive measures are not taken in time.