Official commends public cooperation in dengue control

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Secretary Health Adeel Shah has praised the effective dengue control measures and public cooperation, which have resulted in only 130 dengue cases being reported in the province so far this year.

Out of these, 119 patients have fully recovered, leaving only 11 active cases. Adeel Shah attributed the recent spike in dengue cases in certain districts to the heavy rains influenced by climatic changes and urged the public to continue adhering to preventive measures.

“We must remain vigilant in preventing mosquito breeding until the end of the dengue season,” he stressed.

The health department has been directed to implement a proactive and systematic approach across all levels to curb the spread of dengue. In collaboration with other departments, all available resources are being utilised to control the outbreak. Shah emphasised that no negligence will be tolerated and has instructed district health officers (DHOs) to intensify surveillance, larval elimination, and control efforts.

In response to a rise in dengue cases in five districts including Peshawar, Abbottabad, Bannu, Swabi, and Nowshera, the secretary health has instructed the Director of Public Health, Dr Irshad Ali, to direct DHOs in these areas to ramp up efforts, such as daily case detection, monitoring the spread of the virus, and implementing timely preventive actions.