Punjab government has offered technical cooperation and necessary medicines in public and private hospitals of Islamabad for the treatment of dengue patients of Islamabad and its surrounding areas so that possible threat of outburst of dengue could be countered.
This offer was made by Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Shamail Ahmad Khawaja during video link conference with Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Professor of Medicine and focal persons on dengue ward Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad, Medical Superintendent Polyclinic Islamabad besides Commissioner Rawalpindi and other senior officers at ACS Conference Room, Civil Secretariat Lahore today. Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Provincial Secretary Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Najam Ahmed Shah and Director General Health Services Punjab Dr. Mukhtar Ali Shah were also present on the occasion. Shamail Ahmad Khawaja took notice of the fact that most of the patients brought to dengue wards of teaching hospitals of Rawalpindi belonged to federal area of Islamabad. The meeting was told that due to a large number of dengue patients brought to public sector hospitals in Rawalpindi such patients also been provided beds in corridors of the wards. The meeting decided that shifting work of dengue patients of Islamabad from Rawalpindi to different hospitals situated in Islamabad through ambulances of Punjab government will be started from today. The meeting also decided that Islamabad administration would create space for maximum beds and treatment of dengue patients. Punjab government will provide Dextron-40, Saline Ampules to Islamabad administration for dengue patients in order to save them from hemorrhagic shock syndrome. Commissioner Rawalpindi Azmat Ali told the conference that 987 patients have been brought to public and private hospitals of Rawalpindi so far out of which 233 patients have been admitted in special wards reserved for dengue control. Dengue virus has been detected in the blood of 190 patients. He said that 96 patients belong to Rawalpindi while 129 from different workplaces of Islamabad. Additional Chief Secretary directed that more resources and medical staff should be made available in the hospitals for the treatment of dengue patients belonging to twin cities. He said that Punjab government is ready to help Islamabad administration and trained entomologists, master trainers of surveillances teams are being immediately sent to Islamabad for controlling the situation from worsening in the next dengue season.