Geographical Information System Based Approach to Monitor Epidemiological Disaster: 2011 Dengue Fever Outbreak in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Epidemiological disaster management, using geoinformatics (GIS), is an innovative field of rapid information gathering. Dengue fever, a vector-borne disease, also known as break bone fever, is a lethal re-emerging arboviral disease. Its endemic flow is causing serious effects to the economy and health at the global level. Even now, many under-developed and developing countries like Pakistan lack the necessary GIS technologies to monitor such health issues. The aim of this study is to enhance the effectiveness of developing countries through disaster management capabilities by using state-of-the-art technologies, which provide the measures to relief the disaster burden on public sector agencies. In this paper, temporal changes and regional burden for distribution of this disease are mapped using GIS tools. For the prevention of disaster burden, these types of studies are widely used to provide an effective help and relief. This study concludes that a public sector institute can use such tools for surveillance purpose and to identify the risk areas for possible precautionary measures.