Chief Secretary Punjab Khizar Hayat Gondal while giving permission to local administration and officials of Health Department for purchasing larva sampling kits, spray machines, recruitment of new dengue workers and immediate posting of doctors in teaching hospitals of Rawalpindi has directed that all anti-dengue activities should be accelerated. He said that no negligence should be shown in controlling dengue.
He issued this direction while presiding over a review meting for eradication of dengue in Commissioner Office Rawalpindi. Advisor on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Secretary Health Punjab Jawad Rafique Malik, Secretary Local Government Khalid Masood Chaudhry, Secretary Agriculture Punjab Shehryar Sultan, Secretary Housing & Urban Development, Commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed, DCO Sajid Zafar Dal, Dr. Jamal Nasir, Member National Assembly Asfanyar Bhandara, Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab Dr. Waseem Akram, Members Punjab Assembly Zaib-un-Nisa Awan, Mrs. Tehseen Fawad, Lubna Rehan, officers of provincial and local departments attended the meeting. The Chief Secretary said that as a case response to dengue patients, immediate spray and fogging should be carried out in consultation with medical experts in all those town and union council level under a new strategy for controlling dengue from where patients are being brought to hospitals. He said that administration and government officers particularly experts staying in Rawalpindi for dengue control operation should hold daily meetings and ensure spray door to door in those areas where people are suffering from dengue. Khizar Hayat Gondal said that the number of indoor and outdoor surveillance teams should be increased and complete kits be provided to the members of teams so that they could get samples of water in an effective manner.
Kh. Salman Rafique said that in some areas people have complained of non-arrival of dengue teams upon which disciplinary action is being taken. He said that those sanitary workers who are not taking interest in patrolling or absent, new recruitment should be made in their place. Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik told that officers of Health Department are visiting all union councils for checking field performance of teams of Health Department. He said that the number of entomologists is being increased with the cooperation of administration so that the process of detection of larva should be accelerated and dengue could be eliminated completely. Officers of Education, Health, Environment, Cantonment Boards Rawalpindi and Chaklala, Rawal Town, Pothohar Town, Solid Waste Management and other departments informed about the details of activities being carried out in various areas for eradication of dengue. Principal Rawalpindi Medical College Dr. Muhammad Umar told that full attention is being paid to looking after of dengue patients in teaching hospitals of Rawalpindi and additional arrangements have been made for more patients.