KARACHI, Feb 28: The dengue epidemic outbreak, which prevailed for about six months in the city last year, not only affected 4,750 individuals and claimed 50 lives, but also left behind considerable financial obligations to be fulfilled by the Karachi city and Sindh governments.

According to provincial and City District Government Karachi officials, both health departments had to bear the cost of blood test of suspected dengue patients and cost of platelets provided to six private hospitals and the blood banks.

The entire financial implication of the dengue epidemic in the city could amount to around Rs7 million. This does not include the expenditures incurred on special anti-mosquito fumigations or fogging campaigns undertaken by the city government.

The officials said there are fears there might be another epidemic of dengue fever, when the provincial and city governments are still reimbursing payments claimed by healthcare centres against their services for testing and treatment of the patients. The private blood banks approved by the city government, Fatimid, Hussaini and Bismillah Taqi, have submitted bills of about Rs3 million for supplying platelet packs, while the Aga Khan University, Dr Ziauddin and Liaquat National hospitals submitted bills amounting Rs3.6 million, the officials said.

The federal government decided in October to exempt 20 per cent custom duty and 15 per cent general sales tax on the import of kits used for diagnoses and platelets, particularly to control and contain dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever because of increasing reports of dengue fever cases and some deaths,

According to Sindh health department officials, the relief ordered by the prime minister in the case of importers in monetary terms came to about 48 per cent, which was quite substantial and led to a downward revision in the then existing rates of laboratory tests for the dengue virus and platelet bags required for treatment of patients.

In the last week of October, hospitals and blood banks handling suspected dengue patients were informed by the health minister that they should not charge Rs600 for the test from the patients as the cost would be reimbursed as soon as the bills were received.

The minister had also asked the health concerns in question not to charge more than 50 per cent of the cost of platelet, while the remaining 50 per cent would be paid by the Karachi city government on presentation of bill. The sources said some institutions charged Rs910 for the test. The officials said one hospital had charged an extra Rs300 from each patient. This institution which is a private university hospital, has submitted a bill for Rs3 million for testing all the patients who reported at its OPD. The same sources added that another blood bank which had submitted a Rs2.5 million bill was another cause for concern for the authorities.

Apart from these bills which are liabilities for the city and provincial governments, the CDGK also spent about Rs350,000 on acquisition of kits used for test and preparation of platelets. The city government also spent a considerable sum on procurement of machines and vehicles for fogging in various parts of the city, and the insecticides used for elimination of mosquitoes.

There are fears that the threat of another dengue epidemic is looming. A city government health official when asked about it said that initiatives had been taken and citizens would be asked to take preventive measures. The Executive District Officer Health, Dr A D Sajnani said that residents of flats and high-rise buildings would be required to practise these measures.

He said by the end of March the city government would be in possession of 33 machine mounted vehicles, which would increase to 40 by June. Dr Sajnani insecticide spray will begin soon to eradicate mosquitoes, particularly those carrying the dengue virus.