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Dengue Outbreak in Punjab, Pakistan, 2011; Foundation for One Health Approach

Description

During  2011, dengue fever emerged as a serious public health problem in Punjab, Pakistan. This crisis highlighted gaping holes in the health system. It was realized that the present system is unlikely to have the capacity in responding to an emergency of this magnitude. Since 1994, the cases of dengue fever are being frequently reported in different regions of Pakistan. However, this deadly attack of dengue virus exposed the government’s weaknesses in handling emergencies. During the 2011 epidemic, an estimate from the government hospitals revealed 21,311 dengue suspect cases and causing 372 deaths. (With CFR = 2.3 %). This eventually led to realization of a much delayed realization of ‘multidimensional one health approach’ to address this unprecedented situation. Lessons learned during the 2011 dengue epidemic in Punjab led to formation of Provincial and District One Steering Committees.

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