Government departments to continue anti-dengue activities:ACS Syed Mubashar Raza

Lahore: Additional Chief Secretary Syed Mubashar Raza has directed all government departments to continue anti-dengue activities and dengue surveillance vigorously across the province. He said that Metrological Department has forecast more rains in coming days therefore, government departments have to remain alert to control dengue.

He expressed these views while presiding over meeting on dengue at Civil Secretariat, here today.

Elected representatives, Pir Ashraf Rasool, Ch. Akram, Majid Zahoor, Kiran Dar, Additional Chief Secretary Syed Mubashar Raza, DG Health Dr. Zahid Pervaiz, DCO Lahore Capt. Retd. Muhammad Usman, Additional Director General Dengue Control Dr. Islam Zafar, Dean IPH Prof. Muaz Ahmed, Epidemiologist Prof. Farkhanda Kokab, Chief Entomologist Prof. Wasim Akram and the officers of concerned government departments including Pakistan Railways, Sui Northern, Meteorological Department, Cantonment Board, WASA, Solid Waste Management, PITB attended the meeting.

EDO Health Lahore and Sheikhupura briefed about the indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance activities while Dr. Islam Zafar presented a review of dengue situation at provincial level. He informed that only one confirmed dengue patient has so far been reported in Punjab who belonged to Gujranwala.

The officers of Information and Culture Department, Auqaf, Higher Education, School Education, Cooperatives, Environment, Agriculture, Labour, social Welfare, Local Government, Fisheries Department, Police, PITB, WASA, Solid Waste Management, Pakistan Railways, Sui Northern Gas Company, Institute of Public Health and other agencies informed the meeting about their performance regarding dengue control activities.

Syed Mubashar Raza while addressing the meeting directed the government departments to show more seriousness towards control of dengue and present actual picture of the steps taken by them. He also directed that all government departments should send a permanent focal person in the cabinet committee meeting who should be well prepared to brief the meeting. He said that Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is monitoring anti-dengue activities conducted by various departments and it is a clear indication from his side that the departments should take effective measures for controlling dengue.