Punjab government bars private hospitals to treat dengue patients

Lahore: Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that Dengue Experts Advisory Group (DEAG) has been imparting training of patient care and case management of dengue to the public and private hospitals as well as general practitioners, but some private hospitals despite invitation have not sending their doctors for training. He said that without getting training of patient management of dengue, private hospitals would not be allowed to treat dengue patients.

He said this while presiding over a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue at Civil Secretariat on Saturday. Besides, members Punjab Assembly Pir Ashraf Rasul and Nawaz Chohan, DCO Lahore, Capt. (Retd.) Muhammad Usman, Secretary Labour Department Punjab Farhan Ali Khawaja, Director General Health Punjab, Dr. Zahid Pervez, Additional Secretary Health (Technical) Dr. Salman Shahid, Senior officers of all concerned departments, Dean Institute of Public Health, Prof. Moaz Ahmed, Incharge Chief Minister Dengue Research Cell, Prof. Waseem Akram, Secretary DEAG Dr. Sumia Iqtidar, EDO Health Lahore Dr. Zulifqar Ali, Additional DG Health (Vector Born Disease) Dr. Islam Zafar, DG PITB, officers of WASA, LWMC, PHA and Special Branch attended the meeting.

DCO Lahore informed the meeting that the maximum quantity of dengue larvae of this season is being reported during in-door and outdoor surveillance. He said that vigorous dengue surveillance has been carried out in Lahore at Union Council level and only in one day  (19 September) on the violation of dengue regulations forty-eight FIRs have been lodged, 17 arrests and 5 premises sealed.

Secretary DEAG Sumia Iqtidar informed the meeting that the management of some private hospitals has not sending their doctors for training of Dengue Patient Management and data of dengue patients admitted in private hospitals is also not being sent to Health Department. She said that treatment of a dengue patient by untrained doctors can make complications which could be harmful for the patient.

Khawaja Salman Rafique directed the EDO Health Lahore to contact with the private hospitals and convinced them to send their doctors for training by DEAG. He made it clear that despite the opportunity, if any hospital would not impart training to their doctors for dengue patients. The hospital would not be allowed to treat dengue patients.

DG PILAC, Information Department offered that dengue awareness campaign could be launched through FM Radio 95. It was decided that dengue expert doctors from Health Department would go to Information Department’s FM Radio 95 daily at 10:00 AM and would transmit information regarding dengue prevention and guide to the listeners for the treatment of such patients.

Incharge CM Dengue Research Cell, Prof. Waseem Akram observed that if the present high temperature sustain the breeding of dengue larvae will increase. Additional Director General Health Dr. Islam Zafar informed the meeting that during current year 69 confirmed patients have been reported so far.

He informed that the last year, during the same period, the total number of dengue patients was reached at 193. He informed that 4 dengue patients were reported during the last 24 hours, 3 belonged to Rawalpindi while one reported from Sheikhupura. He informed that presently, 18 confirmed dengue patients are under treatment in different hospitals and their condition is satisfactory.

He further said that no death due to dengue reported in Punjab during 2014. All the officers gave presentations regarding anti-dengue measures taken by their departments.