PAKISTAN is in the midst of a dengue outbreak that has once more exposed the dysfunction within its health system. From Karachi to Peshawar, thousands have been infected and dozens are believed to have died since October, even as official figures remain implausibly low. In Sindh alone, families claim more than two dozen deaths in Hyderabad, but the health department acknowledges only eight. Similar gaps between official and ground-level data have been reported in KP and Punjab, where hospitals continue to receive new patients despite the onset of cooler weather. The scale of underreporting is alarming. By the government’s own admission, figures exclude patients tested or treated at private laboratories and clinics — the primary source of care for many. This omission has rendered the provincial response reactive and confused. Testing kits have been scarce due to procurement disputes, fumigation began only after public outrage, and the Sindh High Court has censured senior health officials for incompetence.

Climate conditions have worsened the crisis. Prolonged humidity and unseasonably warm temperatures have extended the breeding season for mosquitoes, while erratic rainfall and poor drainage have turned urban centres into incubators for disease. Experts believe a more virulent dengue strain may also be circulating this year, with patients taking weeks to recover. Pakistan’s dengue crisis is not new. Each year we see the virus return with predictable ferocity. Yet the authorities repeat the same mistakes — data opacity, delayed coordination, and disregard for research. It is not enough to spray insecticide after public pressure or issue appeals for cleanliness. The state must create an integrated surveillance system that includes private laboratories, ensure steady supplies of testing kits, and support research into evolving viral strains. Without sustained planning and transparency, dengue may become a year-round public-health threat rather than a seasonal one.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2025