KMC’s drive begins amid growing concerns over dengue cases

Karachi
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation kicked off a campaign against the outbreak of dengue fever in the city on Thursday and told the municipal staff to spray insecticides in all major and subsidiary drains.
KMC Administrator Sajjad Hussain Abbasi formally launched the campaign at Clifton’s Glass Tower nullah.
He said the KMC was making all-out efforts to control the spread of dengue virus.
"A fleet of 60 spray vehicles is being used in the spray campaign near imambarghas and on the routes of Muharram processions from Muharram 8 to 10,” he said.
“The campaign would continue for a long period of time to cover all the drains in Karachi.”
Later, a senior director of the municipal services, briefing the KMC administrator, claimed that the staff were carrying out the fumigation campaign in the city on a regular basis to save the citizens from mosquitoes and other germs.
He said the campaign would cover Gujjar Nullah, Sher Shah Nullah, Orangi Nullah, Hub River Road Nullah, Pitcher Nullah, Kalri Nullah, Soldier Bazar Nullah, Frere Nullah, Manzoor Colony Nullah, Mehmoodabad Nullah, Zehri House Nullah, Korangi Nullah, Chakor Nullah, Songal Nullah and Golden Town Nullah.

Dengue emergency
The commissioner and chief officer general administration for Karachi Division, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, issued a notification to impose dengue emergency in the city.
The notification stated that all organisations and departments concerned were required to take all precautionary and curative measures to save people from this viral fever) disease.
However, the Sindh health department termed the issuance of the notification to be a “gimmick” while its officials were also barred from attending the meeting chaired by the commissioner.
In fact, the health department blamed the commissioner and the KMC for continued breeding of mosquitoes spreading dengue, and the unhygienic conditions which created an ideal habitat for these parasites.
On Monday, Sindh Health Minister Jam Mehtab Dahar said 2,487 cases of dengue were reported from across the province, of which 2,424 belonged to Karachi alone.
Presiding over a meeting of health officials, the minister acknowledged the virus had continued to affect a higher number of patients every year.