Ill-prepared: Swat battles outbreak as dengue continues to rake in victims

In the absence of a proper anti-dengue drive, the virus has rapidly spread to other parts of Swat Valley and the number of infected patients swelled to 250 on Saturday. According to the district health office (DHO), a total of 250 patients were reported to have contracted the virus in the district. Of these, 125 are receiving treatment at Saidu Teaching Hospital. Outbreak Dozens of dengue cases have also surfaced from Charbagh tehsil, where locals complained the district government had taken no precautionary measures. “We asked the tehsil assistant commissioner (AC) to conduct a fumigation drive. However, he said there was no need for one,” claimed Sanaullah Khan, an elder from Upper Bagh Mohallah. Three cases were also reported in Matta tehsil, but the patients’ families shifted them to Saidu Teaching Hospital because Matta Hospital has reportedly made no arrangements for dengue victims. Dwindling facilities With the numbers increasing drastically, Saidu Teaching Hospital is faced with a shortage of beds and many patients are forced to lie in the hospital’s lawn. “We arranged our own bed, got the test done from a private laboratory and bought the medicines ourselves. Even then, we have to keep waiting for the doctors,” said Ramanat, a resident of Mingora attending to his son. Fazal Subhan, the father of a child suffering from dengue, said: “They have taken my son’s blood sample and I have been waiting since morning for the results. Whenever I go to the laboratory, the assistants keep telling me to come back later. It is evening now and they still haven’t tested it.” Affected people also criticised their elected MNA Murad Saeed for not visiting the area. “We have not seen the MNA since he was elected. We are very disappointed with him,” said Akbar Aman, a patient receiving treatment at the hospital. However, Salimur Rehman, elected MNA from NA-30, Swat-II earlier visited Saidu Teaching Hospital. He met the patients and assured them of complete support from the government. Moreover, some young volunteers took over the task to fumigate the hospital. “We waited for three days to get anti-dengue spray from the DHO. We received it today and are carrying out the drive from our own resources,” Bakht Haroon, one of the volunteers, told The Express Tribune. On the other hand, attendants claimed the price of dengue test has been fixed at Rs350 for private laboratories, but they continue to charge higher rates. “The laboratory charged me Rs700, while another person I know was charged Rs900. Besides charging so much, they make us wait 24 hours for the results,” lamented Zubair Khan, a resident of Qambar. Government reacts The district administration of Swat constituted 12 teams late Saturday to stop further spread of dengue in the district. Babozai Assistant Commissioner Farrukh Atiq said the teams will conduct awareness drives, adding over 40 spray pumps have been handed over to elders of different areas. He said fumigation has been conducted in various areas and patients in critical condition have been referred to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar. The district administration of neighbouring Lower Dir has also been put on high-alert so as to take steps to prepare special wards in Timergara in case of the virus spreading there.