According to a report by Daily Dawn (25 Dec 2023), this year’s malaria cases have significantly surpassed the previous year’s numbers, which recorded 417,213 cases and 24 deaths. The fatalities this year occurred in Tando Allah Yar and Tharparkar, contributing to a total reported case count of 555,433 throughout the province.
Recent data indicates ongoing challenges across various districts despite changing weather patterns. Between December 21 and December 23, over 5,000 cases were officially documented. On December 23 alone, 1,567 cases were reported across the province, with notable hotspots in Jamshoro, Dadu, Larkana, and Jacobabad.
The health department data show that this year’s cases are much higher than last year’s, which saw 417,213 cases with 24 deaths.
Dr. Abdul Ghafoor Shoro from the Pakistan Medical Association highlighted concerns about underreporting due to inadequate government systems, suggesting that the actual number of cases could be significantly higher than officially stated. He emphasized that despite the reduction in mosquito activity due to colder weather, the sanitation and drainage situation in the province remains dire and has potentially worsened, as evidenced by the surge in reported cases this year.
The aftermath of last year’s floods still affects parts of Sindh, particularly the persistence of stagnant water in lower regions. Continued sewage discharge exacerbates these conditions, creating fertile breeding grounds for mosquitoes and contributing to ongoing cases of malaria and dengue in Karachi and other parts of the province.
Dr. Shoro warned about the severity of untreated malaria, underscoring its potential to lower platelet levels, leading to increased vulnerability to internal bleeding and renal failure.
According to the health department data on division-wise malaria, 3,636 cases were reported in Karachi, 24,078 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 109,258 in Mirpurkhas, 125,739 in Larkana, 29,612 in Sukkur and 258,065 in Hyderabad. The total number of patients screened for malaria was 3,718,534. The number of cases district wise: Hyderabad (40,061), Jamshoro (34,534), Tando Allah Yar (9,625), Mitiari (8,175), Tando Muhammad Khan (5,658), Dadu (34,190), Thatta (55,292), Sujawal (23,724), Badin (46,806), Sukkur (18,116), Khairpur (8,912), Ghotki (2,584), Larkana (49,291), Shikarpur (23,278), Jacobabad (26,419), Kashmore (6,791), Qambar Shahdadkot (19,960), Mirpurkhas (40,625), Umerkot (498,560), Tharparkar (18,777), Shaheed Benazirabad (10,935), Sanghar (3,828), Naushahro Feroze (9,315), Karachi South (594), Karachi West (324), Karachi East (304), Malir (1,820), Central (123) and Korangi (471). No case had been reported in district Kaemari.
The statistics indicate that despite efforts, the province is grappling with the persistence of malaria cases, underscoring the pressing need for comprehensive measures to address sanitation and drainage issues and effectively tackle mosquito breeding sites.
Acknowledgement: Daily Dawn