KARACHI: The municipal administration on Monday launched the fumigation drive in all seven districts of the metropolis amid growing cases of dengue and malaria as Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab sounded hopeful that the campaign would help control the vector-borne diseases and reduce the burden on health system.

The drive was formally launched by the city mayor in a ceremony outside the head office of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. The drive will continue till October 10.

Mayor Wahab while talking to media also shared the schedule of the drive which would be executed by 30 fumigation vehicles of the corporation.

“We have divided fumigation on different days in each district,” he said, adding: “On first day of the drive [Monday], the East district has been targeted. Tomorrow [Tuesday], you would find these vehicles in Central district for the spray. Then we would go to district West, Korangi, Malir, South, Keamari and finally on October 10 there would be fumigation spray in the defunct District Council Karachi limits.”

Mayor Wahab says the drive will continue till 10th

He said the fumigation teams had been directed to specially target the low-lying areas and nullahs. The drive would become more successful with better coordination among town management and district administration as it was collective responsibility of the local government system to provide clean and healthy atmosphere to the Karachiites, he added.

As dengue started rearing its head and created fear about the vector-borne illness in recent weeks, mosquitoes carrying malaria pathogens also seemed to have expanded their range with recent reports of more than a hundred cases in a day being reported at one major tertiary care public sector hospital of the metropolis.

The recent information gathered from different healthcare facilities reveals that malaria has become a major source of concern over the past few months, affecting hundreds of people in the city and that the official figures did not reflect the reality.

According to the official data, a total of 213 malaria cases were reported in Karachi in May, 255 in June, 277 in July and 474 cases in August. No mortality was reported. It also shows that a total of 828 cases of dengue were reported in Karachi so far this year with no death.

Hoping better results after the fumigation drive, the Karachi mayor also asked the people to cooperate with the KMC teams and guide them in their areas to the spots where the spray is needed.

“Together we can achieve the desired results. If any area is left out without the fumigation spray during the drive, promptly contact the administration in your districts and towns for immediate action,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2023