October is here, and with it, the notional autumn season in Pakistan. Sprayers can be seen everywhere in Islamabad and other major cities. It is time to fumigate in order to avert the increasing threat of Dengue that has already started affecting the urban areas of the country. With the increased mosquito spread in the moderate weather ahead of winter, dengue is fast becoming the biggest health concern over the years.

According to health experts and physicians, health issues in Pakistan considered significant with the beginning of autumn include dengue, covid-19, different types of influenza and pneumonia among several others. In Islamabad, pollen also adds to it. There is a significant increase in the ratio of nose and throat allergies, infectious diseases, infections of the respiratory tract, lungs and an increase in asthma. However, preventive measures by healthcare departments and masses can easily deal with many of the diseases mentioned above.

The biggest pre-winter challenge has remained dengue over the past few years. As the weather turns, a moderate surge in cases is seen, with a large number of affected people rushing to hospitals to avail various health facilities. Currently, health authorities in Islamabad are on high alert due to the spread of dengue. District Health Office Islamabad teams respond to dengue cases, visit residential areas and check for signs of larvae. Units in Islamabad and other cities are carrying out extensive operations for the safety of their residents. There is also a display of dengue-related banners as part of the awareness campaign and an increase in fumigation to control the spread of mosquitoes as part of a vector control strategy to counter the dengue spread. This method is employed during outbreaks to curb populations of potentially infectious adult female mosquitoes and interrupt transmission cycles.

Overburdened health departments already dealing with the challenges of coronavirus for the last two years, are also trying to defeat dengue now. According to the health department officials, in Punjab, the largest populated province, dengue cases have reached up to 1,500.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), there have been more than 1,200 cases in the past few days. While in Sindh, more than 500 cases have been reported, mainly in Karachi.

Overburdened health departments already dealing with the challenges of coronavirus for the last two years, are also trying to defeat dengue now.

“The biggest challenge to cope with these diseases is under capacitated and unprepared health facilities. Moreover, we see very little attention paid to preventive measures,” Dr Javed Akram, a Lahore-based senior physician and the current Vice-Chancellor of the University of Health Sciences (UHS), tells The News on Sunday (TNS) . He urges an active preventive role to counter the risks to the health of people of all ages – from children to elders – during the approaching winter season. “We should have vaccination even for flues and infections, if available,” he says, adding, “also, we should focus on adopting a healthy lifestyle and exercise to keep our body active in winter.” He recommends walking/jogging in the afternoon during the later part of the year instead of morning and evening. “We should wear a mask during the pollen-heavy days and apply anti-mosquito lotions to protect ourselves [from dengue],” he adds.

“Many people continue with their summer eating habits as the season begins to change, which needs to be revised since the immunity level of the body changes in winter. We should avoid junk food, and we should sleep properly,” Karachi-based Dr Qaisar Sajjad, the secretary-general of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), advises.

He says the most significant challenges like dengue or other vector-borne diseases faced during the changing seasons can easily be prevented by taking precautionary measures by masses at homes and places. “We need to stop the growth of mosquitoes by checking the open sites of clean water reserves. People can have dengue and covid-19 together, which is very dangerous as coronavirus risks the respiratory system, and dengue reduces platelets to a dangerously low level, which can be a serious life risk when combined together”, he warns.

Dr Sajjad says although health facilities seem equipped, these facilities at both government and private levels are insufficient to deal with the rising health challenges. He sees an evident lack of effective and grassroots level mass awareness campaigns by the respective governments. “However, taking preventive measures to deal with these diseases is the equal responsibility of healthcare facilities, departments and masses,” he concludes.

The author is a staff reporter. He can be reached at vaqargillani@gmail.com