Dengue Politics In Punjab

                                                 Dengue Politics In Punjab

Dengue history goes back to 1779 when a few cases were reported in China but the real threat emerged in Second World War when Dengue epidemic spread like wild fire.. Dengue cases peaked between 1980 to 2011 when  epidemics were reported  in different parts of the world, killing thousands and continuously growing with each passing year.

Surveys projected that  50 to 100 Million people were affected by this virus during 2010-11 and close to 22,000 deaths were reported ( mostly children) .Roughly 40 % of world population meaning 2.5 Billion people come under Dengue epidemic area.



Pakistan was hit by this menace via used tyres imported in year 1999 to 2001. According to some experts, epidemic started picking up in 2006-7 onwards and in 2011 Pakistan suffered one of the worst Dengue attack in recent history  where estimated half a Million people contracted this virus but as per Punjab government officials, diagnosed cases were closed to 25,000 and estimated casualties were between 350-360.

Now question arises, could we have done something to prevent it? The answer in NO.Being a Third world country it would not have been wise to spent Billions and Billions of Rupees on it while thousands dieing from Hepatitis,Malaria,Gastro-Enteritis,Typhoid etc etc (Still a debatable fact) were neglected. United States of America being a developed country suffered a small out break in 2001 and then 2005.

In 2012,  where around the world Dengue cases increased in number but also in casualties, neighbouring India suffered from this epidemic some days back,  there were shortages of Platelets in Dehli, Pune had ICU bed shortages,Famous director Yash Chopra succumbed to this virus as well,despite having all the resources similar is the case with many a countries

 What Pakistan has done differently the whole world is admiring....whether its Srilankan experts( in recently concluded seminar in Lahore that we are in Pakistan to learn from your experience rather than giving you people some tips), WHO or other agencies.

 Its CM Shahbaz Sharif administrative skills, will and determination to eradicate this menace which saved thousands of lives. Punjab Government orchestrated comprehensive policy to eliminate Dengue in 2012:

   

          

TRADITIONAL WAYS 

• Elimination of containers 
• Ornamental pills chlorination plus Larvi-vorous fish
• Solid waste management
• Chemical spraying

Punjab Govt did differently,  innovated new ideas were floated from the lesson learned in 2011, experience gained from epidemic spread in 2011, kind and gracious International help, especially Srilanka,WHO and Indonesia (Srilankan doctors need special appreciation).

   

                                                                                                                                  INNOVATED WAYS              

• "Emergency Help Line", equipped with trained staff, giving Dengue information to affectees and also guiding about preventive measures.
• "Smart Phone Software", to detect Dengue Larvae plus areas of possible out break(never used in world before, brain child of Pakistani Software genius Dr.Umer Saif)
• Training of Doctors, Paramedics, creating whole new Administrative structure  especially designed to control and prevent Dengue.
                                                                                               Dengue Awareness Campaign",led by CM himself comprising door to door, using print and electronic media, civil society, students of different school, colleges, universities plus involving politician of Dengue hit areas(ruling party contributing the maximum).
  
  Creating specialised Dengue wards and ICU beds for Dengue Hemorrhagic fever.

Air lifting Platelet separators from different countries, plus installing CBC analysers in different hospitals.

Sending Doctors, Paramedics and administrators abroad for specialized Dengue training.

creating specialized dengue spraying teams, because in 2011 most of the staff didn't even know the different kind of sprays used in dengue control and prevention. "Dengue Brigade".

 Establishing independent "Dengue Control Authority", very important step for future control.

  












RESULT
      
Thousands and thousands of lives saved with all these measures in 2011 alone 

 UNDER 300 CASES  IN PUNJAB AND NOT A SINGLE DEATH IN 2012.

 Role of Media and  Political parties.

Unfortunately all of them failed to fulfill their noble duty except a few (Capital Talk, Bolta Pakistan, Apas ki Baat and Aj Kamran khan ke sath did some thought provoking programmes,similar a few in print Media).For the sake of point scoring, their whole focus was on one point  that was chemical spraying and fake medicine used in sprays. Political Leaders  who knew nothing about Dengue and chemicals, briefed media on different ways of chemical spray to eradicate Dengue and which chemicals should have been used. Media unknowingly became a tool of false propaganda and information. Some very renowned leaders of political parties called Sharif brothers  as "Dengue Brothers".

For record, chemical spraying has little value in Dengue epidemic control because it is not possible to carry out the mass spraying, it is associated with too many hazards and resistant varieties of mosquitoes. Even preventive chemical spraying is  just a small part of bigger picture(experts say, less than 10 %).
          Secondly Media became a source of injecting Panic among the masses , created unnecessary and uncalled for, fear in hearts and minds of everyone, rather it should have created  awareness, it must be remembered that mortality with Dengue is almost zero, it appears as flu like illness and leave unnoticed on first attack, even in Dengue Hemorrhagic fever with good medical facility the Fatality Rate is not more than 1%.

          Lessons to be learnt, there may be many outbreaks of different diseases in coming months, years and decades. We should not politicize things, rather devise a comprehensive national strategy to avoid these kind of disasters in future as we did in 2012 provided we are blessed with a person, having the caliber of CM Shehbaz Sharif who wakes at 6 in the morning and monitors everything personally till after midnight.

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