Dengue, chikungunya cases on the rise in Hazara

ABBOTTABAD: The relevant authorities are struggling to cope with the situation as cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever and chikungunya are rising with each passing day in Abbottabad and Haripur districts.

Around 24 cases of dengue have been reported so far in Abbottabad including deaths of two patients – a man and woman - in different wards of Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH). The victims included PTI leader Azmat Khattak who is admitted in a private ward of the ATH.

There are also reports about several cases of chikungunya in Abbottabad and Haripur, but the authorities have yet to move to tackle the disease.

Ironically, ATH has neither kits for dengue antigen test (NS-1) nor any platelets separator to provide platelets transfusion.

Muhammad Jamil, 35, who hailed from Sara-e-Nemat Khan, was admitted to Medical–A ward of ATH, but he died two days back. His dengue antigen (NS-1) was declared positive but he did not survive after his platelets count speedily dropped.

Similarly, another patient, Samina, 28, from Haripur, also died due to dengue hemorrhagic fever in Medical–C ward of the ATH.

Attendants of both the patients had not only managed to get dengue antigen test (NS-1) from private laboratories due to non-availability of test kits in the hospital but doctors also asked them to bring fresh frozen plasma to increase platelets count from outside to save their lives.

Ironically, the only tertiary care hospital in entire Hazara also lacked the same facility as existing equipment provided by a donor agency some time back has become out of order due to reason best known to them.

Relative of another patient from Haripur, Abid, 28, who has been admitted in Medical C ward of ATH, told The News that his platelets count had dropped for which he was advised to provide platelets from outside laboratories.

He added that patient was poor and unable to afford Rs150,000 to increase his platelets as one pack of platelets cost was Rs16000 in a private laboratory. His health is deteriorating day by day, said his attendant.

Three other patients Jehanzeb, Nawaz and Obaidullah have also been tested dengue positive and were admitted to ATH but cannot afford the expensive platelets.

ATH Public Relation Officer Shafiqur Rehman, when contacted, confirmed two deaths and eight dengue patients admitted to three different wards.

He also confirmed the notification of five members Infection Control Committee - Dr Ihsanul Haq, Dr Farhat Naz, Dr Imran Farooq, Chief Nursing Superintendent Rukhsana and ATH PRO Shafiqueur Rehman - to take up the issue.

Sources in the ATH informed that 10 cases of dengue fever had been reported in last two weeks whereas exact number of patients suffering from dengue might be too high as there are no diagnostic facilities in ATH.

Most of the cases brought in OPD or emergency were sent back home without any laboratory tests, he added.

The ATH environment is also conducive for mosquitos due to poor disposal of solid waste, dirty washrooms, poor hygienic conditions in operation theatres, wards and seepage and leakage of sewerage system.

It has been learnt that senior managers of institution have shifted their burden to newly formed committee without providing them investigation as well as treatment equipment.

The said committee has asked the hospital authorities to provide further 200-bed nets to cater to the demand as last year hospital received more than 400-dengue patients from the different catchment areas.

Professor Dr Naeema Afzal, head of Pathology Department in Ayub Medical College, when contacted, said that they had been demanding relevant equipment for blood bank and pathology laboratory since 2015 and confirmed that hospital authorities have so far not managed to purchase all equipment including platelets separator for platelets transfusion.

She added that this area was prone to dengue and congo hemorrhagic fevers which needs to be dealt seriously.

Dr Muhammad Idrees, another hematologist, told that four deaths had been reported from different areas in Hazara with the chikungunya, another mosquito-borne disease as no test facility is available in entire area.

He confirmed one chikungonia patient in upper Malikpura in Abbottabad.

Dr. Yasir Gilani, a medical specialist also confirmed that laboratory tests for congo & chikungonia were available in National Institute of Health and Agha Khan laboratories. The chikungunya virus infects humans through the bite of a mosquito and causes fever and joints pain, he added.

Dr Daud Iqbal, information secretary, People’s Doctors Forum (PDF), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while commenting on spreading dengue fever asked the Health Department authorities for creating awareness programme for general public for safety measures beside refresher trainings for health personnel.