PMA issues guidelines on dengue

LAHORE:Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) is very much concerned over the rising cases of dengue in the country. Cases of confirmed dengue virus have been reported in thousands in all the provinces.

While releasing the guidelines on dengue, PMA (Centre) Secretary General Dr SM Qaisar Sajjad said: “The situation is very alarming and we had already warned the authorities to take preventive measures to control over dengue. Now the cases of dengue are increasing geometrically in Karachi, according to government 300 cases have been reported in Karachi but approximately unreported cases are more than one thousand. Recently in Karachi’s North Nazimabad Block-F area 30 to 35 cases were reported during a couple of days, which is distressing.”

The symptoms of dengue fever begin three to fourteen days after infection and may include a high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains. It can also be associated with characteristic skin rash. In worst condition there could be bleeding from gums, nose, mouth, ears and other parts of the body. In the last stages patient goes in shock, which is called Dengue Hemorrhagic Shock.

The government should immediately start anti-mosquito spray campaign on an emergency basis throughout the Pakistan because the only prevention for dengue is to completely eliminate mosquitoes from the country because there is no vaccine or specific treatment to combat this disease. Elimination of mosquito will also end the other mosquito born diseases like malaria, Chikungunya, etc, PMA said. Anti-mosquito spray with regular interval particularly on stagnant water with actual concentration should be used. Proper standard mosquito killed product with proper concentration should be used for spray. Spray should also be done inside and outside of the hospitals (government and private), schools (government and private), offices, plant nurseries and garden, tyre repair shops etc. Government should establish good qualities laboratories for diagnoses of all types of viruses for people at big public sector hospitals and also make arrangement for collection of blood sample (collection centre) at their different link hospitals and dispensaries, it said.

seminar: Dean Institute of Public Health (IPH) Professor Dr Zarfishan Tahir has said dengue apart from being a health hazard is also a social problem and added that enthusiastic participation in dengue-prevention activities is a must for effective control over it. She said people should take care of their houses by removing stagnant water from different places which become hotspots for dengue-breeding.

She was addressing an awareness seminar on dengue which was organised by the IPH for public health professionals here on Tuesday. Students, doctors and staff of the institute attended the seminar. Epidemiologist Dr Anjum Razzaq and senior entomologist Asif Mehmood delivered technical lectures and apprised the participants regarding the life circle of dengue mosquito and its habits.

Meeting: Secretary Transport Asad-ur-Rahman Gillani and Deputy Commissioner Sheikhupura Syed Tariq Mehmood Bukhari jointly chaired a meeting in connection with anti-dengue campaign at the committee office at DC Office Sheikhupura on Tuesday.