PESHAWAR: Provincial Health Minister, Syed Qasim Ali Shah received a detailed briefing on the Vector Control Program from the Director-General of Health Services Dr. Shaukat Ali.
The briefing, attended by various officials including Director of Public Health Dr. Irshad Roghani, covered a range of critical issues.
The Health Minister was briefed on 11 diseases spread through mosquito bites in the province, including Dengue, Malaria, Leishmaniasis, Chikungunya, and others.
He was provided with comprehensive information regarding the status of these diseases, with particular emphasis on Dengue, Malaria, and Leishmaniasis.
Minister Shah issued directives for the immediate initiation of action plans to combat Dengue. He stressed the urgency of implementing all necessary measures promptly, emphasising the need for thorough preparation.
Highlighting the importance of a comprehensive approach, he underscored the involvement of local governments and other line departments in executing the Dengue Action Plan, asse
rting that media awareness campaigns must be intensified.
Dr. Irshad Roghani presented the inter-provincial comparison of Dengue cases from the previous year, indicating that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported only 747 cases, the lowest among all provinces.
He explained that among the four serotypes of Dengue, Dengue Type 1 and Dengue Type 2 cases are prevalent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Furthermore, it was revealed that the incidence rate of Dengue is gradually increasing among both men and women, with 76% and 24% respectively. The majority of Dengue patients fall within the age range of eleven to forty years.
The Health Minister was informed that the total budget for this program amounts to 448 million. Additionally, 1240 beds across various hospitals in the province have been allocated for Dengue patients, alleviating pressure on tertiary care hospitals.
Moreover, 35,000 mosquito nets were distributed in 24 high-risk districts, with a similar distribution planned for this year.
Regarding Malaria, it was disclos
ed that the Health Department aims to make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa malaria-free by 2035.
High endemic areas for Malaria such as Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Swat, Buner, Shangla, and all tribal districts are included in these High endemic areas.
Finally, the Director General of Health Services informed that with the cooperation of UNICEF, MSF, and the WHO, we will receive 75,000 doses of Glucantime injections by the end of April to aid in the treatment of Leishmaniasis.