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As the dengue epidemic deepens across Sindh, with more than 400 patients receiving treatment in hospitals, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has urged the government to declare an immediate health emergency in Karachi and Hyderabad, the two divisions worst hit by the mosquito-borne disease.
The PMA also pressed for urgent anti-vector measures to contain the outbreak, as reported by Dawn. According to Dawn, data released by the provincial health department shows Sindh has witnessed 11,763 confirmed dengue cases so far this year, including 6,199 cases reported in November alone. Expressing alarm over the situation, the PMA demanded an independent review of the provincial dengue control programme and called for greater accountability within municipal and health departments. The association emphasised that the continued rise in infections reflected the failure of government machinery. "The dengue emergency is not a natural disaster but the direct outcome of institutional negligence," the PMA said in a strongly worded statement. It blamed the inefficiency and poor coordination between government departments for turning major urban centres into breeding hubs for mosquitoes. "The absence of proper waste management, poor sanitation, and the delay in fumigation campaigns have made our cities unlivable," the association added. The PMA also criticised what it termed a "complete collapse of municipal services" and insisted that every dengue-related death was "a damning indictment of provincial and local authorities," as highlighted by Dawn. The association further demanded the immediate removal of stagnant water, clearing of open drains, and disposal of garbage dumps to eliminate mosquito breeding sites, stating that preventive environmental measures were long overdue. Provincial health department figures indicate that 429 dengue patients are currently admitted, 147 in Karachi and 203 in Hyderabad, while 25 people, including children, have succumbed to the virus since October. Despite this grim scenario, Health Secretary Rehan Baloch claimed dengue positivity rates in Hyderabad had declined from 46 per cent to 35 per cent over the past week, as reported by Dawn. (ANI)
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