On the direction of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique and Minister for Primary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir would reach Rawalpindi on Wednesday to hold meetings with the Chief Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and other high officers to ensure coordinated efforts to control dengue in Islamabad and improving the dengue larva reporting and patients geo-tagging mechanism. Joint strategy would be evolved to overcome the dengue in Rawalpindi and Islamabad areas.
It was informed in the meeting of cabinet committee on dengue chaired by the Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare Khawaja Salman Rafique at Committee Room Civil Secretariat, here today. Besides, Provincial Minister Primary & Secondary Health Kh. Imran Nazir, Additional Chief Secretary Shamail Ahmad Khawaja, Ms. Lubna Faisal MPA, Lord Mayor Lahore Col. (R) Mubahar Javed, Secretary Specialized Healthcare Najam Ahmed Shah, Secretary Primary Health Ali Jan Khan and Secretaries, Additional Secretaries of other concerned departments, convener DEAG Prof. Faisal Masood, officers from Punjab Information Technology Board and Special Branch were also present in the meeting. The Deputy Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers Health of other districts participated in the meeting through video link. Additional Director General Dengue Control Dr. Farrukh Sultan gave briefing regarding the dengue situation in the province. He informed the meeting that geo-tagging of dengue larva and the patients on PITB dashboard is not being properly carried out from Islamabad and there was a need for vigorous dengue surveillance activities to overcome the dengue in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Both the Ministers would also discuss the reporting system of dengue patients from the hospitals of Islamabad and the role of Capital Development Authority in dengue control activities.
Kh. Imran Nazir directed the local government departments to enhance their dengue related activities with the cooperation of elected local bodies representatives. He said that Chairmen of union councils and Lord Mayors would also be taken on board. Kh. Salman Rafique revealed that the activities of various departments a bit slow. He directed that the concerned departments should enhance their anti-dengue activities as the slight negligence could upset the situation. Kh. Salman Rafique took notice of the non-redressal of complaints and sore points reported by the Special Branch. The Minister directed that displeasure letters be sent to the concerned departments in this regard. He directed all the departments to prepare their presentations as the Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif may call dengue meeting on any day.
