EDITORIAL: Dengue cases were already on the rise all across the country when unprecedented heavy rains arrived, leaving behind pools of stagnant water — ideal breeding grounds for dengue mosquito and its larvae to grow in. Complete data of countrywide cases is yet to be determined; for now, more than 2,000 are said to have been infected by dengue vector.
Reports from all major cities, including the federal capital, speak of a sudden surge in this viral infection caused by mosquito bites. To make a bad situation worse, malaria has flared up in Sindh and Balochistan, the two provinces most affected by this year’s flood disaster. According to Sindh Health Minister Azra Pechuho, as many as 44,000 cases of malaria have been reported in her province.
Health authorities in all provinces, especially Punjab, having experienced some of the nastiest outbreaks of dengue in 2017, 2010 and 2019, are well aware of preventive measures that need to be taken to prevent its spread. First and foremost, local administrations must ensure there is no accumulated rainwater on the roads, or in plant pots and open storage containers kept in homes, or in tyres — another favourite breeding spot of this mosquito — carelessly strewn around by their sellers as well as some domestic users. Another immediate requirement is start of fumigations that in the past helped eliminate the menace to a large extent.
It is worth recalling that the previous PTI government in Punjab had stopped fumigation drives only to see a sudden upsurge in infections. No less important is the need for the provincial governments to launch pubic awareness campaigns so people on their own take necessary precautions, such as that there is no standing water in their homes and how to shield themselves against bites of the dengue mosquito. Those who have contracted the disease, as per the World Health Organisation’s guidelines, should be advised to rest, stay hydrated, and seek medical attention. All relevant agencies must get their act together to confront this public health peril on an emergency basis.
Punjab already has the necessary infrastructure in place. Other provinces should better organise whatever limited resources they have to cope with the challenge at hand. Sindh and Balochistan, facing malarial outbreak in the flood-affected areas where people are living under the open sky, have additional responsibilities to fulfil. Those battling malaria need to be provided immediate medical attention as well as free medicines. That may be easier said than done, but laxity on the part of relevant authorities can create a health crisis that no one would want to witness. All concerned must take action to control the spread of the twin menaces of dengue and malaria before the situation takes an uglier turn.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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