EVEN floods and ferocious monsoon spells could not compel the authorities to take timely precautions. Dengue has returned with a vengeance. A rusty healthcare system is clogged with patients suffering from the seasonal menace, leaving little space and staff for other emergencies. While the Sindh health department has so far set this year’s tally at 819, the health services director general’s data for Karachi and Hyderabad is 579 and 119 respectively. Four Karachi hospitals show 2,972 cases between Sept 1 to Oct 16. A Hyderabad institute confirmed 9,075 in the same period. The total exceeds 12,000 cases in six weeks; and includes fatalities in Karachi and Hyderabad. In Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the dengue toll since July is 1,093. In KP, the infection soared to 3,638 cases, with at least two deaths in Mardan.

Repeated warnings — climate change has shifted vector-borne virus patterns, producing temperature-resilient species and strains — came to naught. A sustained, wide-ranging programme comprising mass awareness, fogging, fumigation drives and water drainage is absent. Punjab, despite the recent deluge and rains, has managed to stay dengue-safe through another virus season. This proves that well-timed directives, and public and administrative watchfulness can prevent misery. In 2017, KP sought support from Punjab, which had battled a dengue outbreak in 2011 with a notable strategy involving collaboration between Pakistani, Indonesian and Sri Lankan doctors. Fresh regulations to dispel the annual health epidemic were enforced. Sindh and KP should put political egos aside and do the same. The people’s well-being and that of scores of flood victims at the mercy of the elements must take precedence. An upgraded version of the Punjab template, alongside the availability of doctors and medicines to avoid acute cases of low platelet counts is crucial. Additionally, indoor residual spraying and cost-free dengue tests can help keep the Aedes aegypti mosquito at bay.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2025