KARACHI: The city’s mosquito control program is on the verge of collapse, with only 18 workers left to carry out anti-dengue and malaria spraying across Karachi’s population of nearly 30 million people — and all of them have gone unpaid for eight months.
Officials confirmed that over 100 positions remain vacant in the Vector-Borne Disease (VBD) Department, which is responsible for the city’s dengue and malaria control program. These 18 contractual workers, none of whom have been made permanent in over eight years, are tasked with covering all seven districts of Karachi.
Severe shortage and administrative neglect
Each district currently has just two to three spray workers, making large-scale fumigation impossible. The situation worsened three years ago when the VBD head office was relocated from Karachi to Hyderabad, effectively paralyzing the city’s anti-mosquito campaigns.
Spray workers disclosed that while public spraying operations have been neglected for years, influential officials continue to receive regular fumigation at their residences. They revealed that salaries are often released only once a year, and despite having years of experience, they remain temporary employees on low-grade contracts (from grade 2 to 17).
Public health at risk amid monsoon season
Experts warn that the crisis could trigger a major dengue and malaria outbreak in the post-monsoon season, typically between September and December, when mosquito breeding peaks. Karachi records hundreds of preventable cases and deaths annually during this period due to insufficient vector control.
Spray workers alleged that although the Sindh government allocates millions of rupees every year for mosquito eradication, no meaningful spraying takes place in any district. They also claimed that officials withhold accurate data on dengue and malaria cases to downplay the public health threat.
