An International Symposium on Dengue Prevention and Future Prospectus has been kicked-off at Punjab Medical College with Khawaja Salman Rafiq, health advisor to Chief Minister Punjab as chief guest.
The symposium was jointly organized by PMC and UAF, aiming at sharing the knowledge and research findings among professionals, thereby to formulate a comprehensive road plan for future.
Addressing the gathering, Khawaja Salman Rafiq said that half of the world population is at risk of dengue where annually the number of dengue patients is recorded 20 million out of which 24,000 had to lost their lives. He said owing to tremendous and restless efforts of the Punjab Government under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Mian Shahbaz Sharif, this year out of nearly 200 hundred dengue patients all have survived. He emphasized the need to remain vigilant as due to heavy rains, the chances of larva growth have been raised. Khawaja Salman Rafiq appreciated the hectic efforts of district government and other research organizations of Faisalabad which caused a significant improvement in the awareness of masses.
Earlier, Addressing the gathering UAF Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that Commissioner Faisalabad Division Tahir Hussain took an initiative to jell together all research organizations under Faisalabad Research and Development Forum to address the dengue issue effectively. He said that UAF in collaboration with PMC had started BSc Homan Nutrition and Dietetics to address the dengue and other diseases with better food habits.
He lauded the efforts of Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif who pursued an aggressive campaign against dengue hence this year, it is controlled effectively. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan apprised the symposium that 10 research groups of UAF are undergoing research on Dengue and working on Vector Management by using various techniques.
Principal PMC Dr. Zahid Yasin Hashmi said that scientists from Thailand and Cuba are also participating so recommendation committee would certainly include their findings and thoughts in the final doable things. MPA Rana Muhamma Afzal Khan said the Punjab Government is vigorously fighting against dengue and assured that it will be controlled in one year. Khawaja Muhammad Islam MPA told that Sri Lanka could not eradicate Dengue in the last 30 years but the way Punjab Government is fighting, this could be happened in very short span of time.
Convener Dr. Ahmad Bilal said that there are dengue patients in more than 100 countries of the world but Punjab Government is following a proactive agenda to fight the dengue. Participants from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Cuba, and Thailand are participating in the symposium.