PESHAWAR: It seems that the number of dengue cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is exponentially increasing, as the total number of active cases in the province has come up to 268.
Likewise, the number of patients in hospitals in the whole region, including the provincial capital Peshawar has skyrocket. During the last 24 hours, as many as 38 newly infected individuals with dengue have been confirmed which makes the total number of cases in the province stand at 3,830.
It is also reported by the Health Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that Peshawar has 54 dengue patients who are currently receiving treatment in different hospitals. The province has been fortunate enough not to have had it more than two deaths due to dengue this year. The latest records demonstrate that within the last 24 hours, more than 38 new confirmed dengue cases have been reported all over the province.
The report also pointed out that 268 active dengue cases exist in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the moment. Moreover, the number of hospital admissions due to dengue has reached 1,582 only for this year. Luckily, 3560 dengue patients have recovered, however, the continuous increase in the number of new cases is still quite alarming.
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Moreover, the Health Department was also worried about the issue of education and took it as being very urgent. Hence, they informed the public that it is necessary that they should take precautionary steps by themselves so as not to be attacked by the mosquito-borne disease.
The government is still very worried about the situation and is taking all necessary measures to closely follow the development of the situation. But hospitals and healthcare workers are stretched to the limit and in a state of very high alert because of the upsurge in the number of dengue cases in the province.
Furthermore, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has asked the health department for an explanation on funds used in anti-dengue awareness drives.
The government inquired about Rs 504 million allocated for dengue prevention and fumigation campaigns from the health department.
The request comes as dengue cases in Peshawar are rising at an alarming rate, highlighting issues of slow response, poor planning, and administrative failure within the health department.
A letter issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat to the Secretary of Health and the Director General of Health states that the suburban areas of Peshawar, particularly PK-76, are currently experiencing a surge in dengue cases. Despite the allocation of Rs 504 million for dengue prevention, there has been no visible effective utilisation of these funds.
The letter demands that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department submit a report to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat within three days. This report should include information on dengue fatalities, the number of infected patients, measures taken to combat dengue, and a detailed account of how the Rs 504 million has been spent. Any delay in submitting this report will be regarded as serious administrative negligence.
The increase in dengue cases in Peshawar’s suburbs raises significant concerns about the health department’s management, prompting government attention. In response, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has stated that it will provide details related to PK-76 to the CM Secretariat.
Following this notice from the CM Secretariat, both the district administration and the health department have initiated a campaign to prevent further dengue outbreaks in affected areas. The Commissioner of Peshawar has declared an emergency across 20 union councils to address the situation. Additionally, it has been decided to appoint dedicated teams for the sensitive union councils, and the Commissioner has instructed that special beds be allocated for dengue patients in hospitals throughout Peshawar.
