Daily Times

The World Health Organization (WHO) has pledged comprehensive support to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Department of Health in response to the escalating dengue outbreak in the region. This commitment was announced during a meeting between WHO’s Representative for Pakistan, Dr. Lu Dapeng, and Dr. Fazal, Director of Vector-Borne Diseases, at WHO’s office in Islamabad on Wednesday. Dr. Fazal reported that WHO’s support would include the establishment of an integrated disease surveillance dashboard to closely monitor dengue cases. Emergency training for doctors and healthcare staff on effective dengue case management is also on the agenda, alongside technical assistance for managing current cases, he said. To target the outbreak, the WHO plans to aid in the elimination of dengue larvae in five high-risk union councils in Peshawar. Additionally, High Dependency Units (HDUs) will be set up in public hospitals to treat patients suffering from dengue shock syndrome. The organization will supply PCR kits for dengue serotyping at the Public Health Reference Lab at Khyber Medical University. In a bid to enhance field operations, specialized training for medical entomologists focused on dengue and malaria prevention will be provided. WHO will also distribute 5,000 diagnostic kits each for malaria and dengue, along with 2,000 Glucantime injections for Leishmaniasis treatment. To aid in vector control, two hand fogger machines and educational materials for public awareness about dengue prevention will be supplied. This collaboration signifies a critical step in strengthening Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s response to the dengue outbreak, aiming to improve public health outcomes in the region.