Islamabad, Oct 12 (IANS) A dengue outbreak in Pakistan’s Panjgur district has sparked concern in recent weeks, when several men, women and children were reportedly infected with the virus, local media reported on Sunday.
Lawmakers and people have expressed concern over the deteriorating situation, citing what they term as “insufficient healthcare facilities” and “poor preventive steps” taken by district health authorities, Pakistan’s leading daily, Dawn, reported.
As per reports, several people who came from Karachi tested positive for the virus, which is now spreading in various areas of the districts, especially Khudabadan and Chitkan areas.
Residents said that the authorities’ inability to conduct fumigation campaigns and the lack of a dedicated dengue control unit have exacerbated the outbreak.
“Panjgur has a population of around one million, yet there is no effective system in place to combat dengue,” a local social worker mentioned.
According to the social worker, for years, anti-mosquito spray campaigns have been “symbolic at best — limited to photo sessions rather than genuine action”.
National Party leader and the Deputy Parliamentary Leader in the Balochistan Assembly, Rahmat Saleh Baloch, has expressed serious concern over the situation.
He requested the Balochistan government, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to send medical teams and take emergency measures to contain the outbreak.
Rahmat Saleh Baloch urged the provincial health department to declare Panjgur a dengue-affected district and take emergency measures, including fumigation, public awareness campaigns and improve medical facilities.
Locals and civil society organisations have urged Provincial Assembly members Asadullah Baloch and Rahmat Saleh Baloch to raise the issue at the provincial level and ensure the setting up of a dengue treatment unit at Panjgur Hospital.
Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department on Sunday declared a ‘Chikungunya outbreak zone’ in Peshawar’s Sufaid Dheri area after 16 cases of the viral fever caused by mosquito bites were detected in the region, Dawn reported.
The chikungunya cases were reported in areas with high dengue incidence, as per the statement released by the health department.
It stated that effective measures were being taken to contain the outbreak.
–IANS
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