The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) health department is recording dengue cases in villages around Peshawar. Several medical teaching institutions (MTIs) continue to withhold patient information needed for prevention efforts.
According to the latest report of Diseases Surveillance and Response System (IDS&RS) at the Directorate General Health Services, the provincial dengue tally has reached 250 cases, with Peshawar recording the highest number of 134.
However, Health officials said swift response measures in affected localities have so far kept infections from forming. But, they cautioned that persistent non-cooperation from MTIs could allow the outbreak to spread rapidly, as MTIs have not shared the requested patient records.
Districts that reported dengue infections
- Peshawar: 134 cases
- Kohat: 45 cases
- Bannu: 14 cases
- Bajaur: 8 cases
- Swabi and Mohmand: 6 cases each
- Karak: 5 cases
- Hangu, Lower Dir, and Nowshera: 4 cases each
- Remaining districts reported one to two cases each
Surveillance staff have inspected 279,062 sites, eliminating larvae from 392 houses and treating 914 of nearly one million containers, while 182 outdoor locations have been chemically sprayed.
Officials noted that MTIs have historically played a key role in sharing case data. They added that some MTIs are testing dengue patients for a fee and sending them home without informing the department, increasing the risk of further transmission.
The department has so far held 66,869 awareness sessions, attended by 287,418 women and 75,229 men, but expanding outreach in high-risk areas depends heavily on cooperation from MTIs. The noncooperation can lead to a repeat of 2017 dengue outbreak in the province, when Peshawar reported 70 deaths and 60,000 dengue cases.
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