Dengue, Malaria and Covid are spreading but people in Pakistan should be aware that they need different treatment, warns Prof Dr Farhan Essa of Essa Labs.

Dengue and Covid are viruses, Malaria is caused by a parasite and Typhoid is a bacteria. “I’d say use less aspirin and Brufen because it affects your platelet levels,” he said. “If you have fever, speak to a doctor. Viral fevers are also spreading.

We should ask why dengue, malaria are spreading so much, he said. We need better surveillance systems in Pakistan for these diseases.

Prof. Dr Farhan Essa Abdullah was speaking on Aaj News for its programme Meri Jadojehad, which invites a professional to tell the story of their career and life. Dr Farhan is the CEO of the Dr. Essa Laboratory and Diagnostic Centre, which has offices in the US and Dubai and have branched into pharmaceutical services and physical therapy.

Dr Essa said he encouraged research given that antibiotic resistance is spreading in Pakistan. There are two reasons for this. They are given over the counter and people abuse antibiotics by taking them when they should not. If a mother takes an antibiotic, and three pills are left she will give it to her son not thinking that the dose for her body weight would be different for her son who is taller and bigger.

I’d say use less aspirin and Brufen because it affects your platelet levels

Dr Farhan said he was concerned that our germs are a threat to the world. We travel abroad and take this antibiotic resistance with us. Even if you are a person who has never taken antibiotics and used herbs or diet and good sleep to maintain your health if a person with antibiotic resistance infects you with their germs, you will also have the same problem.

Covid success

Dr Farhan worked at the first Covid centre in Pakistan that was opened at the Expo centre, which was erected in six days on a war footing when the pandemic was at its peak. Hardly any deaths took place there in the 5,000-bed facility, he said, highlighting what he considers a great success on this front. No one from the staff got Covid there, he said.

Education path

Dr Farhan went to St Patrick’s High School in Karachi as did his brothers. Then he went to Adamjee Science College. He had wanted to go to DJ college. He got good grades and ended up at Dow Medical College. “Those were the golden years for me,” he says. “It’s an institution that groomed us in patient care, ethics.” He taught at Dow Medical College and became a professor there. He went to the Harvard School of Public Health and even did government service for several years.

Government service

He went to the provincial services and worked in Sanghar. “It was a great experience because a majority of my friends are from that area. The love they gave me I never found in Karachi.” He had never left Karachi prior to that. It was an eye-opening experience. “As you go further into rural Sindh, it is as if you are head into the dark ages. He did not speak Sindhi at the time. “I really felt that all that we were told about Sindhi people was all wrong.” People in Karachi stand up and meet you but Sindhi people “jhuk ke milte hain.” He felt that this was a huge cultural difference.