645 confirmed positive in Islamabad hospitals

Islamabad : The private and public sector hospitals in the federal capital have notified the district health office Islamabad of a total of 645 patients of dengue fever so far confirmed in the hospitals this year however, there have been reports of hundreds of other patients tested positive at private laboratories of Islamabad.

Till September 14, the government hospitals including Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, F.G Polyclinic Hospital, Capital Hospital, Federal general Hospital, KRL Hospital and Rawal General Hospital along with as many as seven hospitals in private sector have admitted a total of 645 confirmed patients of dengue fever for treatment, said District Health Officer Islamabad Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Durrani while talking to ‘The News’ on Sunday.

He added that a total of 526 patients have so far been tested positive for dengue fever from rural areas in the federal capital while so far, 70 patients have been confirmed from urban areas. The Islamabad hospitals admitted as many as 49 patients belonging to Rawalpindi, he said.

It is, however, important to mention that according to a PIMS spokesman, Dr. Waseem Ahmed Khawaja, the PIMS has already received well over 1500 patients of dengue fever who were confirmed positive for the infection from various private laboratories operating in the federal capital.

According to him, however, these patients were not admitted to the hospital for management instead they were given treatment at outpatient department.

Dr. Durrani, however has denied the statement claiming that Islamabad hospitals have received only 645 confirmed patients of dengue fever. The infection has not claimed any life in the federal capital so far, he said.

He added recently a meeting was held to analyse and review the steps taken by all the stake holders including hospitals, health department Islamabad and health directorate to prevent and control the disease that was chaired by Secretary Health.

The Chair announced the establishment of a Task Force and announced the federal and provincial secretaries of health and director generals Health as its members. The CEO Health Rawalpindi, DHO, EDs of federal hospitals were also announced as its members. The Director Technical Dr Shabana Saleem shall work on issuing its notification while Dr Muhammad Najeeb Durrani has been announced as Secretary of the Task Force.

Dr. Durrani who is dengue focal person said the health secretary has asked all the stake holders to face the current outbreak of dengue fever jointly by mobilizing all resources and establishing a mechanism on hospital based surveillance.

It has also been decided in the meeting that the health departments of twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi would work jointly to put up an epidemiological response to the outbreak along with Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi Administration, he said.