Zero tolerance policy would be adopted in dengue control: Kh Salman rafique

Lahore: Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafiq has said that greater efforts are required from the government departments according to the SOPs for dengue control. He said that in order to achieve better results, strict monitoring at gross root level is essential. He said that overall dengue situation in Punjab is satisfactory, however, due to the monsoon rains, the chances of dengue breeding have increased.

He was presiding over a meeting of cabinet committee for dengue control at 90-SQA, here on Monday besides Members of Punjab Assembly Nawaz Chohan, Ch. Muhammad Akram, Kiran Imran Dar, Pir Ashraf, Parliamentary Secretary Health Kh. Imran Nazeer, Secretary Health Dr. Ijaz Munir, secretaries and senior officers of Environment, Auqaf, Cooperative, Labour, Forestry & Fisheries, Schools Education, Higher Education, Agriculture, Irrigation, Police and Special Branch attended the meeting. Dean IPH Prof. Nawaz Ahmad, Chief Entomologist Prof. Wasim Akram, Dr. Somia Iqtidar Member of Dengue Expert Advisory Group, DCOs of Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura and other districts also present in the meeting.

All the officers briefed the meeting about dengue control activities of their departments. Secretary Health informed that so far seven confirmed dengue cases have been reported in Punjab during 2014 out of which two patients were from Lahore. He said that all the patients have fully recovered. He also briefed about the indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance activities.

Secretary Environment, Secretary Labour, Cooperative, Auqaf, Schools Education also briefed about the dengue surveillance activities in graveyards, junkyards, tyre shops, construction sites, factories, commercial plazas, house-to-house indoor surveillance and awareness campaign in schools, colleges, mosques and shrines through Imams and Khateebs.

It was decided in the meeting that Lady Health Workers getting salary of Rs.7000 will get an additional amount of Rs.100 daily as honorarium for performing duties in dengue surveillance activities for which approval would be sought from Chief Minister Punjab. It was also decided that DCOs of dengue sensitive districts would provide conveyance to LHWs for dengue surveillance.

Kh. Salman Rafiq said that volunteers working in dengue control activities would be issued special cards. He further said that since dengue has become a social problem, therefore, community should also fulfill its responsibility. He said that a sticker would be pasted on the house in case of dengue larvae was reported from the place while an FIR would be lodged against the owner of the commercial site if dengue larvae was detected from the site. He said that government has adopted zero tolerance policy in dengue control activities and no leniency would be tolerated from any department.