The NWFP government on Saturday directed the health, local government, schools and literacy, information and other concerned departments to start co-ordinated and effective precautionary measures for controlling dengue virus so precious lives can be saved.
The directives were issued by NWFP Additional Chief Secretary Ghulam Dastagir Akhtar, while presiding over a high-level meeting regarding dengue fever at the Civil Secretariat, Peshawar, on Saturday.
District Nazim Haji Ghulam Ali, the NWFP health secretary and representatives of schools and literacy, local government, information, agriculture, environment and irrigation departments attended the meeting. Ghulam Dastagir Akhtar directed the departments concerned to launch awareness campaign against this deadly disease so the people could take precautionary measures.
The meeting was told that dengue a serious viral disease is transmitted by infected mosquito bite which is a day biting mosquito. The mosquito lives indoor in closets and in dark, cool and shaded places. It lays eggs and breed in stagnant water around the homes, schools and other areas. Favoured breeding places for this mosquito are barrels, drums, jars, pots, baskets, old tyres, water tanks, tins, bottles and gutters.
The meeting was told that high grade fever, severe frontal headache, retro orbital pain, muscles and joint pains, nausea, vomiting with skin rashes are its sign symptom. The high grade fever lasts for 2-7 days. The patient may become restless, lethargic, signs of circulatory failure and hemorrhagic manifestations appear in about seven days of the fever. The patient may present with hemorrhagic manifestations like increased tendency to bruise, skin hemorrhagic spots, epistaxis, bleeding gums, and blood in vomitus or stool. Death is usually caused by excessive bleeding and circulatory failure.
About the treatment and prevention, the meeting was briefed that there is no any specific treatment and it is a self-limiting disease. Patient needs mandatory hospitalisation for observation, symptomatic and supportive treatment. There is no preventive vaccine for this disease.
For prevention of the disease, vector (mosquito) elimination by insecticidal spray of the breeding places is necessary in addition to filling ponds, removal of containers, old tyres, pots, etc.
The other methods are use of screening of houses (by steel gauze), insecticides treated bed nets, repellents and personal protection, cover water containers, removal of rubbish, mosquito coils and electric vapor mats.
It was decided the health department would provide laboratory test facilities at all district headquarters hospitals while budget for buying 200 laboratory test kits was also allocated.
The NWFP information department was assigned the task of publicity campaign against this virus. It was also decided to establish a focal point at the office of Director, Health Services. The general people have been asked to contact their respective district headquarters hospitals for information regarding the disease.