KARACHI:Prevention and Control Program for Dengue Sindh in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) organized an orientation session for focal persons, field monitors on “Dengue Vector Control Measures” in a local hotel.
The representatives of Sindh Health Department, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Public Health, Agriculture, Cantonment Boards, World Health Organization and other civic institutions attended the session.
Briefing the participants, WHO representative and Consultant Entomologist Muhammad Qasim Khan said around 3 billion people in world are under the threat of dengue, and the dengue cases are rapidly increasing due to unplanned urbanization.
He explained that almost 50 per cent of world population is under the threat of dengue viral fever and under-reporting of dengue is still is big challenge for health policymakers. He said growing population, urbanization and lack of infrastructure in urban areas are the major causes of dengue.
Qasim Khan said mass public awareness is needed to control further spread of dengue, while joint strategy should be adopted with consultation of all stakeholders to tackle this very serious issue.
Program Manager, Prevention and Control Program for Dengue Sindh, Dr Mehmood Iqbal Memon, informed the more than 45,000 dengue fever cases have been reported throughout Pakistan this year so far, out of these 10,999 dengue cases were detected from Sindh province alone.
He explained that 95 per cent dengue fever cases were recorded in Karachi city out of total cases while only five per cent were reported from other districts of Sindh province. He said dengue still a big public health issue across the globe and about 113 countries are affected from this vector-born disease.
He informed that extensive surveillance, monitoring, medical staff’s training, and social mobilization are under way across the province, particularly in Karachi to handle the dengue outbreak like situation.