THE mosquito-borne dengue fever is spreading at an alarming pace in the country. Many people have lost their lives to it. The non-serious attitude of the authorities, both at the federal and provincial levels, is a cause of frustration and despair. The performance of health authorities, in particular, is nothing short of appalling. It is time to get serious and professional in our approach to fighting the menace.

The deadly disease could have been prevented with proper sanitation, but no satisfactory measures have been taken yet. The government should launch a robust anti-dengue campaign and use insecticide sprays in all major areas to get rid of the mosquitoes. It should also hold awareness drives to educate the masses about preventive measures.

Moreover, the government should monitor and curb the sale of fake diagnostic dengue kits available in the market at low prices. These kits show false negative results which leads to improper treatment and a decline in the platelet count, resulting in deaths. A shortage of platelet products has also been observed.

The loss of a loved one is too much to bear for anyone. The government should take proper steps for the prevention of this deadly fever as it has become just as dangerous, if not more, as the Covid pandemic.

Aisha Arshad
Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2021