“If our country will not be cleaned from outside it cannot be cleaned from within us” Dengue is considered one of the most deadly diseases in the world and its tendency of deaths is increasing day by day. As per data shared by the World Health Organization (WHO), each year an estimated 390 million dengue infections occur around the world. Of these, 500,000 cases develop into dengue hemorrhagic fever, a more severe form of the disease, which results in up to 25,000 deaths annually worldwide. In Pakistan out of 1,000 live births, nearly 104 children die before reaching their third birthday. Core cause of dengue is poor quality of water, sanitation and hygiene which can be controlled but due to less infrastructure and intention of cleaning Pakistan.
81 officials have been removed as after the epidemic of dengue in Lahore and as whole in Pakistan we are seeing thousands of people getting treated for dengue. In Pakistan, there is no specific vaccine available to treat dengue and with scanty arrangements done by the government, it is likely that in days to come, the situation will only get worse.
Dengue can easily be prevented through taking serious measurements which includes not littering, water accumulated on roads, buckets or any other place which can store water should be cleaned on time. The government should launch a countrywide campaign and the media should highlight how to be protected from dengue. Through this measure the cases of dengue will decrease automatically and fewer people will suffer from this fatal but preventable disease. In this process we need our government, food authorities and health authorities to work hand in hand and as we will be provided with clean water, dengue will not be spread around Pakistan and as Director General Punjab Food Authority Capt. (R) Muhammad Usman is also the Secretary Health; it is expected from him to work more in favor of people’s hygiene and as seen recently he has been very active on the concerned issue and is being dynamically participating for the betterment of people.
MARINA PERVAIZ,
Lahore.