Education secretary’s mother dies of dengue

Fazlullah Pechuho himself and his wife MNA Azra
Pechuho also being treated for dengue fever

Provincial education secretary Fazlullah Pechuho’s mother died of dengue fever in Karachi on Tuesday while the official and his wife, MNA Azra Pechuho, too are being treated for the disease at the Aga Khan University Hospital.

“Our mother, who was around 86 years old, was tested positive for dengue and passed away at the Aga Khan University Hospital this morning,” Sibghatullah Pechuho, the education secretary’s brother, told The News.

He said his brother Fazlullah and his wife, MNA Dr Azra Pechuho, who was also the sister of Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, were also tested positive for dengue fever and under treatment at the AKUH.

Ironically, the Sindh Dengue Prevention and Control Programme officials neither knew about the cause of death, nor were they aware about which hospital was the family being treated at.

“The education secretary’s mother passed away at the South City Hospital and the official and his wife too are being treated there,” Dr Masood Solangi, the Provincial dengue prevention and control programme’s manager, told reporters.

“The hospital is not sharing any details with the health department,” he added.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah along with newly-elected PPP MPA Imtiaz Shaikh visited the AKUH to inquire about the health of the education secretary and his wife.

The chief minister was informed that Fazlullah’s platelets had dropped significantly but he was recovering fast while the condition of his wife was also stable.

Dengue cell unaware

Sindh Dengue Prevention and Control Programme manager Dr. Masood Solangi said he was unaware of any person dying of dengue fever in Karachi. “Many hospitals don’t share information with us,” he added.

“The education secretary, his mother and his wife were admitted to the South City Hospital.”

When asked if the official’s mother had died of dengue fever, Dr Solangi said he did not know as most hospitals in the city were not sharing information with the dengue prevention and control programme.

Health experts said dozens of dengue fever patients were being admitted to hospitals in Karachi. They maintained that the number of dengue fever patients in the current season had crossed 5,000 patients but health department officials were still insisting that there was no outbreak of the disease and the situation was under control.

Condolences

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, information minister Maula Bux Chandio, education adviser Jam Mehtab Dahar and PPP Karachi leaders expressed their condolences over the demise of the education secretary’s mother.  They also prayed for the official and his wife’s early recovery.