PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has issued WHO guidelines regarding treatment protocol of dengue patients as another man died of the vector-borne ailment on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 42.

Pervez Khan, 51, resident of Tehkal area of Peshawar, who was admitted to Khyber Teaching Hospital no Sept 30, is the latest victim of the disease, a press release issued by the Dengue Response Unit, said.

The release said the WHO, which is providing technical assistance to the health department, had issued guidelines to enable the doctors to promptly diagnose and cure the dengue patients. It has been imparting training to doctors and technicians at the district level hospitals about the identification and management of the patients.

The KTH has been receiving bulk of the patients due to its proximity to Tehkal locality where the disease is endemic. About 97 per cent of the deaths also occurred in Tehkal.

The Lady Reading Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex, two other medical teaching institutions, are also catering to patients, belonging to areas other than Tehkal.

The health department has developed liaison with the district health authorities in high-risk areas to put brakes on the spread of the ailment.

So far, the infection is confined to three union councils in Peshawar. The government is facing daunting task to eliminate mosquito breeding sites inside the houses and has been urging the population to take precautionary measures to avoid mosquito bites and stay safe from the sickness.

According to statistics, Peshawar has recorded 8,230 patients, Mardan 182, Mansehra 151, Buner 118, Abbottabad 78, Haripur 64, Swabi 52, Swat 26 and Lower Dir 24.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2017