RAWALPINDI: As many as 49 dengue patients went down with mosquito-borne disease on Thursday, taking the season tally to 801.

At present a total of 120 patients are under treatment in the dengue wards of Rawalpindi hospitals, and seven of them are in critical condition.

A total of 68 patients are in Holy Family Hospital (HFH), 35 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), 21 in District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, and two each in Kallar Syedan and Wah Cantonment, respectively.

Most dengue patients have arrived from Farooqia Mohallah Chaklala, Dhoke Mangtal, Satellite Town, Dhoke Ellahi Bux, Arya Mohallah, Bharia Town Phase-8, Wakeel Colony, Muslim Town, Sadiqabad, Muhallah Hukam Dad, Raja Zafarul Haq Road and adjoining areas.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Liaqat Ali Chatha made a detailed visit to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) to check the facilities provided to dengue patients. On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr Hasan Waqar Cheema, BBH Medical Superintendent Dr Tahir Rizvi and officials of the Department of Building and Development were also present.

He inspected the medical facilities in the hospital in detail. He visited various departments of the hospital, including the dengue ward, emergency room, OPD, surgical ward, male and female ward, children’s ward, and medicine room. He inquired about treatment facilities from the patients and their attendants.

On this occasion, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division said that he was visiting the hospitals himself to ensure the provision of medical facilities.

“No negligence in providing medical facilities will be tolerated. He said that by serving the suffering humanity, we can improve our lives hereafter. In light of the orders of the Punjab government, the treatment facilities are being improved. There is still a risk of a dengue outbreak, so extra precautions are needed. Public cooperation is indispensable for the implementation of anti-dengue SOPs,” he said.

Commissioner Rawalpindi was directed to provide better medical facilities to dengue patients in the hospital. He further said that the renovation and repair work should be completed as soon as possible and all the air conditioners should be kept fully functional.

Commissioner Rawalpindi directed MS BBH to install air conditioners immediately where there are no air conditioners. He also directed further improvement of the cleanliness situation in the hospital.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2023