Islamabad (GNP): Dengue cases have declined significantly across Peshawar Division this year following an intensified prevention campaign, officials told a high-level review meeting chaired by Commissioner Peshawar Division Riaz Khan Mehsud on Sunday.
The session, called to assess progress under the Dengue Action Plan 2026, brought together deputy commissioners, district health officers, entomologists, local government representatives and health department officials from Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Khyber and Mohmand districts.
Participants reviewed the current dengue situation across the five districts, along with disease surveillance activity, indoor and outdoor larval monitoring, hospital preparedness, medicine and equipment availability, anti-dengue spraying campaigns, public awareness efforts and inter-departmental coordination.
Health officials told the meeting that most reported cases involved people with recent travel history to other districts or provinces, and confirmed that no dengue-related deaths had been reported across Peshawar Division so far this year, with the overall situation described as under control.
Commissioner Mehsud expressed satisfaction over the decline in cases and directed all departments to sustain preventive measures year-round, with particular focus on September and October, when dengue transmission typically rises.
He instructed authorities to intensify public awareness campaigns across print, electronic and social media platforms, step up anti-larval operations, and ensure the timely removal of stagnant rainwater during the ongoing monsoon season, a key breeding condition for the mosquitoes that transmit the disease.
The commissioner also called for stronger coordination among relevant departments, closer field monitoring by deputy commissioners, and strict enforcement under Section 144 against activities that could contribute to the spread of dengue.
He directed all concerned departments to submit weekly progress reports on prevention efforts and ensure available resources are used effectively to keep the disease contained. Officials said continued surveillance, timely intervention and public cooperation would remain essential to preventing a resurgence in the months ahead.
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The Peshawar Division’s progress comes against the backdrop of a worsening global dengue burden. The World Health Organization has reported that cases climbed from roughly half a million worldwide in 2000 to a record 14.6 million in 2024, with more than 12,000 deaths recorded that year and the Americas region accounting for the bulk of the global caseload.
WHO has attributed the rise to shifting mosquito distribution, climate change, strained health systems, and gaps in surveillance and reporting, noting that dengue is now endemic in more than 100 countries and continuing to spread into new regions, including parts of Europe. Between January and July 2025 alone, the agency recorded over 4 million cases and more than 3,000 deaths across 97 countries.
Health authorities globally, including WHO, continue to emphasize that dengue prevention depends primarily on vector control, since no specific treatment exists for the disease. The organization recommends measures such as eliminating mosquito breeding sites, using repellents and protective clothing, and maintaining strong community surveillance, an approach mirrored in Peshawar Division’s current strategy of larval monitoring, spraying campaigns and public awareness outreach. Officials in Peshawar said sustaining this coordinated, multi-department response would remain key to keeping local transmission low even as the region enters its historically high-risk season.
