Dengue And Its Prevention Through PITB Dengue Activity Tracking System

Dengue is known as “break bone fever” and acute self-limiting mosquito borne infection transmitted by female mosquito Aedes, Aegypti & albopictus caused by dengue virus.

Writer: Dr. Shaukat Chauhdary

Dengue is known as “break bone fever” and acute self-limiting mosquito borne infection transmitted by female mosquito Aedes, Aegypti & albopictus caused by dengue virus. Dengue Fever struck Pakistan in the last quarter of 2011. The province of the Punjab was the worst affected. The epidemic affected more than 21,292 people and resulted in over 350 deaths. Clinical findings: Fever, Sever headache, Muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting, Eye pain and rashes. Fever lasts from 2-10 days corresponding to peak viral load temperature may subside on about the third day and rise again about 5-8days after onset. Laboratory diagnosis: Through envelope/membrane viral protein-specific capture IgM or IgG ELISA and HI test. RT -PCR for rapid identification and Current favored approach is inoculation of mosquito cell line with patient serum coupled with nucleic acid assay to identify a recovered virus. Treatment: There is no antiviral drug therapy, dengue hemorrhagic fever can be treated by fluid replacement therapy.

Prevention the best therapy to control dengue fever. To prevent dengue outbreaks govt of Punjab developed an android mobile application with the help of Punjab informational technology board (PITB) for real-time information on larvae prevention, detection and public hygiene activities.by using this application, field officials could take geo-tagged photographs of designated areas for dengue surveillance. They were asked to identify larvae breeding hotspots and remove them and capture the situation as “before” and “after” action was taken.

Dengue Patient reporting system is available at govt Hospitals that includes Tertiary care hospitals, DHQs, THQs as well as Private Hospitals to monitor dengue reporting system. SMS service is also set up for all general practitioners (GPs) for timely informed dengue reporting. A digital task is created & pushed to field officers mobile device for surveillance & IRS as soon as a reported patient gets confirmed in the system. Instant dengue patient tagging is carried out through the mobile application.

Dengue surveillance breeding spots are checked through pectoral evidence geo tagging by the help of third party local complaints DVR mobile application. Early production alarming system of dengue vectors is placed on the basis of habitat history and present status. Helpline 0800-99000 is also available for the identification of dengue breeding spots.

Patient reporting system is operational in 1700 health facilities, 40 departments, and 36 districts in which primary & secondary health care department, allied health department, commissioners, deputy commissioners and health administration are involved.

In year 2019 govt of Punjab activated third party assessment dengue anti regime with the direction of primary & Secondary healthcare department, effective work force & PITB to control dengue epidemics if this step would not have been taken there is a high risk of dengue outbreaks but secretary primary & Secondary healthcare took timely initiative to minimize the dengue epidemics.

Dengue system is recognized worldwide as recently Primary & secondary health care department conducted an international conference on dengue (ICD) in which international and local best researchers appreciate Punjab information technology board role to reduce dengue epidemics and contributed their ideas with healthcare officials to control dengue outbreaks.

By this PITB Anti dengue Suite, we are continuously reducing dengue outbreaks with efficiency. To dengue free Pakistan we request Prime Minister of Pakistan to extend this system to all provinces of Pakistan. Minister Health Dr. Yasmeen Rashid, Secretary primary & Secondary health care department Captain ( R) Muhammad Usman Younis , chairman PITB Azfar Manzoor, DG-IT Faisal Yousaf & Health Team including Saflain haider, Hassan Khalid, Shahzad Chaudhary, Sharyar Khalid and specially dengue team working tiredless toward dengue free Punjab and making health facilities more efficient according to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.