DID ready to deal with dengue fever patients

Rawalpindi : The peak season for transmission of dengue fever in this region of the country has almost set in and a number of health experts have started expressing that dengue fever may start hitting population in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi within a week or two.

In the wake of an expected dengue fever spike, the Department of Infectious Diseases (DID) of Rawalpindi Medical University established here at Holy Family Hospital in town claimed to have been well prepared to deal with dengue fever patients.

In last four-and-a-half months, the HFH received well over 900 patients at dengue outpatient department of which over 600 were suspected as dengue fever patients while nearly 250 of these were taken as probable cases of the infection. However a total of 22 patients have so far been confirmed positive for dengue fever at the HFH this year.

At the time, the DID is dealing with probable cases of the infection however we are expecting dengue fever spread within a week or two as the peak season for dengue fever transmission has set in, said Head of DID Professor Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan while talking to ‘The News’ on Saturday.

He said the DID is well prepared to deal with dengue fever patients in case an outbreak hits population in the region. He added the Department of Infectious Diseases at HFH has a capacity of dealing over 100 dengue fever patients in wards while having a high dependency unit that is well equipped to handle patients with communicable diseases requiring intensive care. The HDU is equipped with cardiac monitors and regular oxygen supply, he said.

It is important that the population in town faced severe nature of dengue fever outbreaks from 2013 to 2016 and in the wake of outbreak in 2014, the RMC administration under the supervision of RMC Principal Professor Dr. Muhammad Umar planned to establish a complete infectious diseases department in August 2014 that got operational in 2015.

The DID established specifically to provide treatment to patients with any of the communicable diseases like dengue fever, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, Swine Flu and Multi-drug Resistant Tuberculosis was the first department of infectious diseases established in public sector in Pakistan.

We have well equipped infection diseases ward and isolation standards to keep and manage patients with communicable diseases and infections like dengue fever, said Dr. Mujeeb.