Punjab will observe 2Sep as Anti Dengue day

Lahore: Chief Secretary Punjab, Nasir Mahmood Khosa has directed heads of all government departments to ensure implementation of the working plan formulated for anti-dengue day on September 02 throughout the province and the awareness campaign should be launched vigorously for ensuring full participation of the people in anti-dengue activities.

He issued these instructions while presiding over a meeting with regard to reviewing results of special cleanliness campaign launched on Sunday and the working plan formulated by government departments regarding anti-dengue day on September 02. Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafique, secretaries of all government departments, additional secretaries and other senior officers attended the meeting. Heads of the departments informed about the working plan formulated by their respective departments for making anti-dengue day a success.

Secretary Health Arif Nadeem told that fogger machines, spray pumps and chemical in abundance are available with the Health Department for spray and larva siding. In addition, provision of diagnosis and treatment facilities for dengue patients have been ensured in all hospitals. Moreover, high dependency units have been made functional in all government hospitals. He told that senior officers of health department will visit hospitals on anti-dengue day. Seminars would be arranged in medical colleges and banners and flax would be displayed for creating public awareness. He said that pamphlets carrying symptoms of disease and preventive measures saving from dengue would be distributed among the people. Students of medical colleges will also be included in this campaign. Arif Nadeem told that the current situation as compared to previous year is satisfactory, however, it is being monitored strictly. The meeting was told that special seminars, walks and workshops will be arranged for creating maximum public awareness about the dengue on September 02. Door to door awareness campaign and vector surveillance activities will be carried out with the cooperation of volunteers and officials of government departments. Suitable arrangements would be made for removing garbage and cleanliness at every level.

Information and Culture Department Punjab will arrange walks, seminars and music shows with the cooperation of Punjab Arts Council and Lahore Arts Council in connection with dengue day on September 02. Besides this, the artists of TV darama ‘Ainak Wala Jin’ will also present a drama regarding dengue. Commissioner Lahore Jawad Rafique Malik informed about the details of working plan prepared for Lahore regarding anti-dengue day. Officers of all departments presented their performance report in the meeting about special cleanliness campaign regarding eradication of dengue launched on Sunday. The Chief Secretary said on this occasion that although all departments have formulated a comprehensive working plan for eradication of dengue, yet, there is a need of ensuring its implementation in letter and spirit throughout the province. He said that next two to four weeks are very important with regard to dengue during which all government departments will have to work with devotion and dedication.