A report based on disease incidence registered in October 2012
ISLAMABAD, 18th January 2013: The disease burden saw 14% increase to 31,536 cases per district during October from September’s 27,587 cases. Ninety two districts reported 2,901,262 disease incidence in the observed month compared with previous month’s 2,400,052 in 87 districts says a Free and Fai Election (FAFEN) report released on Friday.
FAFEN monitors who visited 92 district health offices reported that except for Respiratory Tract Infections and meningitis that increased 10% and 20%, cases registered under all other disease categories fell – gastrointestinal infections lowering 15%, scabies (4%), animal bites (10%), viral diseases (28%), diseases transmitted through mosquitoes (23%), and bacterial diseases (12%).
Respiratory Tract Infections constituted 48% of the disease burden – 90 districts reporting 1,384,495 cases as compared with the preceding month’s 1,164,715 in 83 districts- an increase of 10%.
However, gastrointestinal infections registered a 15% drop – 91 districts recording 527,268 cases against the previous figures 580,132 in 85 districts. Diarrhea and dysentery decreased 20% while gastroenteritis went up 17%.
Among skin diseases, scabies was observed that saw a 4% fall – from 3,692 to 3,548 during October. Animal bites also dropped 10%. Snake bites had 867 cases registered in 53 districts and dog bites had 9,721 in 71 districts.
As has been in the months before, hepatitis dominated viral diseases with 94% share out of total 2,532 cases. Thirty-seven districts reported 2,370 hepatitis cases. Besides, measles had 17 cases registered in 16 districts. There were 13 probable poliomyelitis cases in Mardan and 12 suspected AIDS cases – Gujrat (8) and Sargodha (4).
Among diseases transmitted through mosquitoes, dengue and malaria were observed. In this category, 25 districts reported 3,191 cases – all of malaria. Such disease fell 12% during October.
As for bacterial diseases, 2,272 cases were reported – tuberculosis (99%; 38 districts) and tetanus (13 cases; Karachi). Besides, two districts – Sargodha and Loralai (6 each) – reported 12 meningitis cases.
Moreover, 32 districts reported 143 maternal mortality cases in October as compared with the previous month’s 145 in 33 districts. However, infant mortality saw decline from 62 cases per district to 61 and child mortality from 35 cases to 27.
