Dengue larvae is being reported from Aziz Bhatti Town, Samanabad Town and Gulberg Town: DCO Lahore

Lahore: Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh. Salman Rafique has directed all concerned departments and agencies to continue intensive dengue surveillance and larviciding activities to control breeding of dengue mosquito. He said that September is very conducive month for dengue growth.

He said this while chairing a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue here in Civil Secretariat. Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Aamir Sohail, Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik, DCO Lahore Capt. Retd. Muhammad Usman, Director General Health Dr. Zahid Pervaiz, Additional Secretary Health (Technical) Dr. Salman Shahid, senior officers of the concerned departments, MDC WASA, Dg PHA, Dean IPH Prof. Muaz Ahmed, Prof. Wasim Akram, Additional Director General Health Vector Borne Disease, PITB and the officers of Pakistan Railways also attended the meeting.

Additional Chief Secretary directed WASA, PHA and Solid Waste Management officers to implement action plan of dewatering and removal of solid waste on war footing basis. He said that biological treatment should be done in the larger water bodies where dewatering is not possible by stocking tilapia fish (larvae eater). Kh. Salman Rafique directed the officers of Pakistan Railways to ensure removal of solid waste/garbage and dewatering from water ponds in the premises of railways especially in the area of Mughalpura Railways Workshop.

Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik observed that the redressal of complaints uploaded at dashboard of PITB regarding different departments and agencies is very important. He directed WASA, PHA and other agencies to check the dashboard regularly for addressing public complaints regarding dewatering, lifting of solid waste etc. He further said that if the officer of any department feels that the complaint loaded at dashboard is not related to his department he can inform telephonically the concerned department for its solution. Secretary Health said that the objective of efforts by all the departments is only to save the people from dengue.

Kh. Salman Rafique said that government hospitals have made satisfactory arrangements for diagnosis and treatment of dengue patients and the doctors deputed in High Dependency Units and dengue wards are fully trained in case management. He said that by the grace of Almighty Allah there is no complaint regarding the treatment of dengue patients from any hospital.

Earlier, DCO Lahore, Capt. Retd. Muhammad Usman while briefing the meeting said that extensive dengue surveillance in all graveyards, junkyards and tyreshops is being carried out and this circle is completed every week. He disclosed that mostly indoor dengue larvae is being reported from Aziz Bhatti Town, Samanabad Town and Gulberg Town. Whereas in outdoor dengue larvae is being detected from Data Ganj Bakhsh Town and Ravi Town in large quantity. Additional Chief Secretary directed officers of the concerned departments to furnish compliance report regarding the instructions issued in the meeting on daily basis.