New SOPs for Karachi schools amid surge in dengue, malaria
The government of Sindh has decided to establish Dengue Wards in all major public hospitals as Karachi reported 403 more cases in a day.
According to a notification issued by the Sindh Health Department, the provincial government has decided to convert Covid-19 isolation wards into dengue wards.
The health department noted that dengue is becoming an epidemic and the hospitals are running out of beds to admit patients.
Director Health Karachi Dr Abdul Hameed Jamani said that the High Dependence Units (HDUs) that were established during the coronavirus pandemic are being converted into Dengue Isolation Ward.
Currently, there are 32 HDUs in different government hospitals in Karachi.
The authorities will get the wards cleaned and fumigated while mosquito nets will also be installed.
On September 15, a total of 426 cases of dengue were reported from across the province, according to the data released by the Sindh Health Department on Saturday.
Karachi accounts for around 95% of the cases in the province. Since the start of September, the province has reported 2,246 dengue cases.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Karachi has issued new SOPs for all public and private schools regarding dengue and malaria on Saturday, suspending holding of assemblies and PT sessions in all schools at least for a month.
According to SOPs issued by the Commissioner of Karachi, it will be a perquisite for students to wear full-sleeve shirts whereas schools will be bound to conduct fumigation drive on a regular basis in order to deal with dengue and malaria. Furthermore, the fresh SOPs will be applicable to all public and private schools across the megacity.
The schools were also directed to hold dengue and malaria awareness sessions to educate masses regarding the spread of vector-borne disease.
A strict action will be taken against those who will violate the SOPs.
