KARACHI, Nov 2: The Sindh Minister for Local Government, Katchi Abadies and Spatial Development, Mohammad Hussain Khan, said that there was an urgent need for an awareness campaign regarding dengue virus.

He stated this while talking to dengue virus patients during his visit to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Civil Hospital and the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre here on Thursday.

The minister said that dengue fever was not contagious and caused by mosquitoes which bred in fresh water. “The causes of this disease should be eliminated so as to control its spread on a larger scale”, he added.

He said that it was our collective responsibility to work for the elimination of this virus. He urged all political parties and religious groups to join hands with the provincial and city governments for education people about this disease.The minister also visited to the isolation ward of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and inquired about the facilities being provided to the patients.

The medical superintendent of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Dr Masrooruddin, informed the minister that as many as 62 suspected dengue virus patients were brought to the hospital out of which 30 were discharged after treatment while 32 were still under treatment.

Later, the minister visited the Civil Hospital Karachi and inquired about the health of patients affected by this virus.

The MS, Dr Kaleem Butt, informed him that during the last month 120 patients were brought to the hospital from which 8 were still under treatment.

The minister also visited the JPMC where Executive Director Dr Syed Mashoor Alam informed him about the facilities provided to the patients and informed that as many as 234 such patients were brought to the hospital out of which 35 were still under treatment.—PPI