Peshawar:
Conjunctivitis, commonly known as “pink eye”, has reached epidemic proportions in several districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, in particular in areas affected by floods. According to the Department of Provincial Health, more than 22,863 cases were reported in August only.
The epidemic has exerted immense pressure on hospitals. At Lady Reading Hospital, the largest medical establishment in the province, more than 150 new cases are reported daily. Alarming, five doctors of the hospital ophthalmology also contracted the infection. The Khyber teaching hospital receives 60 to 70 patients per day, while the Hayatabad medical complex reports nearly 80 cases per day.
Official statistics reveal that between January and August this year, 97,212 cases of conjunctivitis were recorded throughout the province. The greatest number has been reported to Nowshera, Peshawar, Swat, Shangla, Battagram, Mardan and Biner. Health managers confirm that the disease has increased considerably in the districts affected by floods, where poor hygiene and stagnant water have contributed to its spread.
The August report of the Health Department highlighted the SWAT as the most affected district with 4,204 cases, followed by Peshawar (2,254), Biner (1,743), Shangla (1,689), Lower Dir (1,484), Nowshera (1,194), Battagram (1.080) and Malakand (1.235).
Hospital sources say that most patients are treated in neighborhoods, but due to the very contagious nature of the disease, doctors avoid the use of medical instruments and shared equipment on infected people. Many patients are released after initial treatment with strict advice on preventive measures.
In response, the Department of Health has issued a public opinion. Citizens were invited to practice strict hygiene, avoid close contact and isolate themselves if they are infected. Patients are advised to use separate bedding and pillows, wearing protective sunglasses in the sun and monitoring medical advice. Health experts say that conjunctivitis usually lasts up to a week but is spreading as quickly as seasonal flu if preventive measures are ignored.
We can recall that two weeks ago, KP Health Department ordered all district and teaching hospitals to take immediate measures for the prevention and control of conjunctivitis (ocular infection), following an opinion issued by the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad.
