ISLAMABAD: The health minister of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province announced on Saturday a contingency plan for expected outbreaks of dengue, malaria and other water borne diseases ahead of monsoon rains.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned on Friday that strong monsoon currents are likely to enter Sindh and southwestern Balochistan province from Saturday. It said the current can trigger “heavy to very heavy falls” in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tharparkar, Dadu and other cities in the region until July 5.
“It is advised to pay special attention and be vigilant so that there is no flare-up of malaria, dengue and other vector-borne diseases in all districts,” Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho said in a statement.
The minister ordered authorities to prepare a list of potential disease hotspots and conduct awareness campaigns as well as spraying and fogging to prevent the breeding of disease spreading mosquitoes.
“The objective of this contingency plan is to reduce Malaria/Dengue morbidity at least 75 % by 2025,” she said.
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority on Saturday also warned of urban flooding in Karachi, Hyderabad, Gwadar and Khuzdar ahead of the torrential rains.
It called on authorities to prepare residents of low-lying areas in Sindh and Balochistan for the possibility of floods.