Pakistan's dengue situation worsens, officials accused of masking death figures

Lahore [Pakistan], November 19 Dengue has gripped large parts of Punjab, especially the southern belt, while internal accounts suggest that fatalities caused by the virus are taking place but are allegedly being kept off the books by the provincial health machinery. Several insiders claim that authorities are intentionally downplaying the true scale of the outbreak through underreporting, as reported by Dawn.

According to Dawn, Multan and Faisalabad are reportedly facing the most alarming situation. The sharp rise in infections there has contradicted the health department's earlier claims that dengue was "fully under control."

Medical workers in South Punjab confirm that the number of dengue-positive patients has multiplied nearly tenfold in recent weeks.

Doctors and senior public-health experts allege that numerous dengue-related deaths have occurred in Multan's major government hospitals. However, officials responsible for reporting these fatalities were allegedly instructed not to log them onto the dengue dashboard. A health specialist stated that district commissioners and CEOs of district health authorities are exerting pressure on field officers to conceal both deaths and rising positivity figures.

Referring to the recent case of a young guard, Mohammad Imran, experts claim the diagnostic process was deliberately delayed.

The NS1 test, crucial within the initial days of fever, was sent for analysis on the ninth day, ensuring a likely negative result. WHO guidelines state that NS1 sensitivity drops sharply after a week, meaning a negative report cannot rule out dengue. Other tests later confirmed Imran as dengue-positive.

He passed away after severe internal bleeding as his platelet count fell to a dangerously low 6,000. Dengue wards in Nishtar Hospital and district headquarters facilities in Multan are overflowing, forcing doctors to shift patients to general medical units, as cited by Dawn.

Meanwhile, the Dengue Expert Advisory Group (DEAG) has formally warned the government of "serious lapses" in prevention and surveillance. DEAG Chairperson Prof Dr Muhammad Khurram noted that dengue cases are rising sharply in Multan, Faisalabad, Kasur, Sahiwal, Rahim Yar Khan and Attock, urging immediate intervention. Experts argue that anti-dengue operations were launched far too late, calling it a glaring administrative failure that warrants urgent inquiry, as reported by Dawn.

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