The life-saving drug for the treatment of critical dengue patients, Dextran 40, is not available at Lahore’s pharmacies putting lives of scores of patients in the provincial capital in danger, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.

As dengue epidemic is spreading fast in Punjab, scores of dengue-infected patients are being admitted to private hospitals. 

Sources say the health department is providing Dextran 40 only to government hospitals leaving private ones in the lurch. They further reveal that the health department has provided a few drips to private hospitals which are not sufficient keeping in view the fact that a large number of dengue patients are coming to private health facilities.

At Doctor’s Hospital, Lahore, the condition of 5 out of 35 dengue patients was serious. Twenty dengue patients have been admitted to the Defence’s National Hospital. 

At Hameed Latif Hospital, out of 34 patients, the condition of 7 is critical. 

At Farooq Hospital, Allama Iqbal Town branch, 15 and Thokar Niaz Beg’s branch, 24 dengue patients are being treated.  

At Omar Hospital, 7 dengue patients have been admitted. While there are 12 confirmed dengue fever cases at Adil Hospital. 

Dengue condition in Islamabad 

In Islamabad, the situation of dengue is precarious. There are 45 dengue patients in the largest government hospital of the federal capital, PIMS. There are no more dengue beds available for new patients. 

At present, 45 patients are being treated at PIMS Hospital while during past 48 hours, 348 new dengue patients thronged the hospital. 

The spokesperson for the PIMS Hospital said soon a new dengue ward would be established in the hospital.