Experts fear dengue set to cause serious losses if preventive steps not taken

MARDAN: In view of the mounting mosquito-born illness in Malakand and rest of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Health Minister Shaukat Yousafzai and medical experts on Monday feared that dengue was set to cause “serious losses” from next year in March if timely preventive measures were not taken.

The minister called for creating awareness about prevention of the disease, as there was no vaccine available in the market to stop it. He was speaking as a chief guest at a one-day seminar, “Dengue fever orientation and awareness”, here at the Bacha Khan Medical College (BKMC), where, students and faculty members of the college, doctors and staff members of the Mardan Medical Complex (MMC), District Headquarters Hospital, Education Minister Mohammad Atif Khan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s legislators were present.

After a comprehensive presentation by senior physician, Dr Ameer Khan about the mosquito that carries a virus and causes dengue fever, Shaukat Yousafzai said some experts at the Khyber Medical University (KMU) and Agricultural University in Peshawar had begun the research on dengue and its prevention. However, he said the data compiled so far revealed that situation may take an ugly turn from March next year.

“This is another type of terrorism in KP that claimed several lives and is still posing threat to human lives in Malakand region, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera and Charsadda districts,” the minister said.

He said the KP government has released Rs60 million to the public sector hospitals purely for purchasing drugs and treatment of dengue victims. He said since patients diagnosed with dengue fever required no drugs, except paracetamol and keeping the patients away from mosquitoes.

The minister informed the participants that there was no dearth of resources but they wanted to spend the public money on the wellbeing of people. “Health has been one of the most neglected sectors in KP. Buildings had been raised and expensive equipment purchased for the sake of huge commissions, but never utilised for services of the poor people,” Shaukat Yousafzai said.

He said the PTI-led KP government would strengthen and upgrade the existing health facilities instead of spending money on the construction of more buildings. In his informative presentation about the dengue virus, its types, breeding and treatment of dengue fever, Dr Ameer Khan said the mosquito that has been causing the disease is known as VIP or an intelligent mosquito as it bites from backside or on lower part of the body.

“It is usually found in clean environment, mostly in stagnant water. It is smaller in size than other mosquitoes and is of white and brown colour. It bites two hours before sunrise and three hours before dusk,” Dr Ameer Khan informed the participants.After Swat, Mardan emerged the second district where a large number of people had been infected by dengue virus.

The MMC administration made separate arrangements for victims of the dengue virus and appointed Dr Ameer Khan to handle the situation. He said life of the mosquito was 30 days only but before dying, it left behind a lot of destruction. “Every female mosquito lays 1000 eggs and every egg carries virus. These eggs stay for two years in water,” he said.

Like Sri Lanka where the government had produced a larvae-eating fish and helped overcome the spread of dengue, he said the government should take practical measures for permanent solution of the issue.

BKMC Principal and MMC Chief Executive Dr Ziaul Islam talked about the medical college and its achievements within short time since its inception in January 2010. “In January 2010, we enrolled 50 students, 30 on open merit, 10 self-finance and 10 on foreign students, and it was for first time PMDC recognised any college during its first year and recently internally recognised,” he said and added it was an honour for the college and its faculty.

He said the college was affiliated with KMU while MMC was declared as teaching hospital for the college. The PMDC has recognised the MMC for house job training of the students of BKMC while the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP) recognised it for postgraduate training of the doctors, which he termed an achievement for the college and the hospital. He publicly praised former chief minister Ameer Haider Hoti for his personal interest in building the medical college in Mardan.

Dr Ziaul Islam said they had acquired 1000 kanals of land for the college, which was supposed to be completed in three phases. It was initially accommodated at the MMC building. Two phases are complete while third phase is scheduled to be accomplished by June 2014. But, he feared, it may not be completed by its due time and sought assistance of the minister who assured him of his cooperation.

He announced Rs70,00000 for purchase of drugs for DHQ hospital in addition to Rs30 million provided to the same hospital a month ago. Dr Farah Faqir, pathologist, Dr Mushtaq Ahmad, pathologist and Dr Shafiullah also spoke about dengue fever and its preventive measures.