Pakistan, Sept. 28 -- Dengue is no longer a seasonal outbreak to be confronted only when hospitals fill and mosquito populations surge. For Pakistan, it has become a persistent national public-health challenge, driven by climate variability, rapid urbanisation, population mobility, poor sanitation, unmanaged water containers and the expanding range of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The country now needs a decisive shift - from seasonal campaigns to a year-round National Dengue Action Plan.

The World Health Organisation confirms that 2024 was the worst dengue year on record: over 14.4 million cases and 10,576 deaths were reported from 112 countries, with transmission occurring at unprecedented levels. WHO estimates annual incidence a...