Advisor on Health Kh. Salman Rafique has said that dengue larva is being reported due to the strict indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance by the concerned departments in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala whereas no confirmed dengue patient was reported so far. He directed that all concerned departments and institutions should continue anti-dengue and public awareness activities vigorously.
He said this while addressing the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Anti-Dengue in the Committee Room of Civil Secretariat, here today. Elected representatives besides Director General Health Dr. Zahid Pervaiz, senior officers of the concerned departments, Dr. Somiya Iqtidar of Dengue Experts Advisory Group of Public Health, officers of Pakistan Railways, Metrological Department and Sui Northern Company attended the meeting. The officers of Health and other concerned departments informed the meeting about the steps taken for indoor/outdoor dengue surveillance, vector surveillance and public awareness. Commissioners Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Multan and Faisalabad informed the meeting about the steps taken regarding anti-dengue activities by the districts of their respective division. EDO Health Lahore informed that 84 FIRs have been registered during the current month on the violation of Dengue Regulations. Moreover, biological and chemical control methods are being used for elimination of reported dengue larvae. Dengue Experts Group Dr. Somiya Iqtidar told that the training about clinical management of dengue patients has been provided to the six doctors of Railways Carron Hospital. She told that private hospitals are not extending cooperation in providing information about dengue suspected patients and data is not being uploaded on dashboards by them. Kh. Salman Rafique directed that concerned departments should contact the administrations of private hospitals and made it clear that if they showed any negligence in providing uploaded data of suspected patients, action will be taken against them. Commissioner Gujranwala told that dengue larva has been reported at few places in the city. Deputy Secretary Local Government informed that cleanliness week will be observed on April 27 in the province. Representatives of metrological department told that there is chance of starting monsoon late during current year. Police officers told that certificates are being obtained from SPs about their subordinate police stations and other places regarding non-presence of dengue larva. DG Health Dr. Zahid Pervaiz told that high dependency units are functional and arrangements of dengue wards complete in government hospitals and Dextron 40 drops are also available. PITB officers told that general practitioners have also started providing information about suspected dengue patients on dashboards. Kh. Salman Rafique directed that anti-dengue activities should be continued according to SOPs. He further directed that special attention should be paid to dengue surveillance in Rawalpindi.
