Targeted anti-dengue activities during Eid holidays

Lahore: Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique has directed all the concerned departments and agencies to continue their targeted anti-dengue activities during the holidays of Eid ul Azha. He directed that special attention should be paid on dengue surveillance and case response in those areas from where dengue patients have been reported or dengue larvae is found. He directed that before the commencement of Eid ul Azha, complete dengue sweeping should be carried out in all the graveyards, mosques and Eidgahs.

He was presiding over a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue at Civil Secretariat, here on Tuesday. Member Punjab Assembly Kiran Dar, Secretary Labor Department Farhan Ali Khawaja, Secretary Higher Education Abdullah Khan Sumbal, Secretary Environment Punjab, Director General Health, Dr. Zahid Perviaz, DCO Lahore Capt. R. Muhammad Usman, Additional Secretary Health (Tech) Dr. Salman Shahid, Additional Director General Health (Vector Born Disease) Dr. Islam Zafar, Dean IPH Prof. Muaz Ahmad, Senior officers of different departments and Town Incharge, DG PILAC, WASA, PHA, Solid Waste Management, PITB, Police, Special Branch and the officers of Cantonment Board attended the  meeting. Dr. Islam Zafar informed the meeting that, so far, 118 confirm dengue patients have been reported this year, whereas in 2013, the total number of dengue patients had reached at 263. He informed that at present 26 dengue patients were under treatment in different hospitals and their condition is satisfactory.

DCO Lahore Capt. R. Muhammad Usman while briefing about the steps taken by the City District Government for dengue control, said that vigorous indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance activities at union council level in each town were continuing and due to the hard work of surveillance teams, dengue larvae is being reported in a large numbers. He informed that only on 29^th September targeted fogging has been conducted at 11 positive sites and IRS has been done in more than 1300 houses. DCO further informed that during the month of September 770 FIRs registered, 34 premises were sealed and 294 persons arrested on the violation of Dengue Regulations Act. All the senior officers briefed the meeting about the performance of their departments for dengue control.

Khawaja Salman Rafique directed all the officers of prepare an Action Plan for anti-dengue activities during the Eid holidays. He directed that this action plan should be presented in the next Cabinet Committee meeting on 2^nd October. He directed the local government and other departments to carry out complete dengue sweeping in the graveyards, mosques and other places in Lahore, Sheikhupura and Rawalpindi to protect the people from dengue mosquito.

Chief Entomologist Prof. Dr. Wasim Akram observed that rains are continuing in Rawalpindi therefore, new hotspots have been created in Rawalpindi and as compare to Lahore, Rawalpindi is more vulnerable than the Lahore. Therefore, the concerned departments should be more vigilant during Eid holidays in Rawalpindi. He hoped that if the present pace of dengue surveillance and other anti-dengue activities continue, the dengue situation would be under control.