Almost 3,000 cases of rat bites were reported at Lady Reading Hospital in three months
Residents across more than 50 localities are reporting daily rat bites as poor sanitation and a lack of control measures fuel a growing public health crisis. PHOTO: PEXELS
PESHAWAR:
11-year-old Umair was sleeping next to his family in their home in Peshawar’s Gunj Gate neighborhood when his screams shattered the silence of the night. Awake with startle, his relatives turned on the light and discovered blood oozing from his foot. Rushing outside, they came face to face with two unusually large rats in the yard – the animals responsible for the attack.
For Umair’s family, the incident was horrifying, but not without precedent. The same rodents had previously bitten and injured three other members of the household, turning what should be the safety of the home into a source of fear. Across Gunj Gate, dozens of families are living through the same nightmare. Residents have repeatedly petitioned the municipal authorities and the local government, complaining of clogged drains, overflowing garbage and deteriorating sanitation that have fueled a growing rat infestation.
Yet despite years of complaints, no effective measures have been taken to curb the problem, leaving communities increasingly vulnerable as rats continue to invade homes and attack residents. The crisis extends far beyond Gunj Gate. From Kohati Gate and Qissa Khwani to Lahori Gate, Yakatoot, Beri Bagh, Panch Katha, Malikpura and Chamkani, residents of more than 50 neighborhoods are reporting an alarming rise in rat infestation, with bites becoming an almost daily occurrence.
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Ayesha Munir, a mother of three from Chamkani, revealed that her five-year-old child often picks up and eats things from the floor. “Rats enter homes at night through drains. Despite blocking many entry points and using poison, the unusually large rats are no longer killed by conventional pesticides. Due to poor sanitation, children often pick up objects from the ground, leading to frequent stomach ailments,” said Ayesha. Although she filed complaints through the citizen portal, nothing has been done regarding the problem.
Dr. Hazrat Ullah, who practiced for many years at Lady Reading Hospital and served as a doctor, revealed that when a person is bitten by a rat, cat, dog or similar animal, it is important to receive injections immediately after the bite. “Rat bites do not usually pose a life-threatening risk because they usually occur on less critical parts of the body. However, if newborns or other individuals are bitten in the throat, respiratory tract or other sensitive body parts, the situation can become serious,” he noted.
According to information obtained by Express PakinomistLady Reading Hospital alone receives approximately 900 rat bite cases per month. Over the past three months, almost 3,000 rat bite cases have been reported to the hospital, most involving children under 15. These patients received treatment at the hospital’s vaccination center. Similarly, dozens of cases are reported daily at Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex.
A senior official of Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that anti-rat campaigns have been conducted in several areas. “Anti-rat campaigns provide only temporary relief as rodents migrate from nearby areas. Chronic funding and resource shortages have hampered efforts to control both rat infestation and the growing stray dog population,” the official said.
According to sources of Express Pakinomistwas a comprehensive plan developed by the local government ministry several years ago in response to the increasing number of rat bite cases in Peshawar. A formal proposal was also drawn up, but despite the passage of two years, it has not been implemented. As a result, both the rat population and the number of rat bites in Peshawar continue to increase. Nevertheless, the administration has so far failed to give the issue the attention it requires.
