Dengue control activities would be continued during Eid-ul-Fitr holidays: Kh Salman

Lahore: Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique has directed that all the departments should continue dengue control and surveillance activities during Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. He said that Local Government Department and City District Government should conduct fogging and spray in the graveyards as a large number of people visit graveyards to offer “Fateha” on Eid. He also directed that Auqaf department should carry-out cleanliness drive in mosques to protect “Namazis” and “Moatakifs” from dengue.

He said this while presiding over the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue at S&GAD Committee room, at Civil Secretariat, here today. Besides, Parliamentary Secretary Health Kh. Imran Nazir, Lubna Faisal MPA, Secretary Health Punjab Jawwad Rafique Malik, Director General Health Dr. Zahid Pervez, senior officers of the concerned departments, Dean IPH, Public Health experts, Chief Entomologist Prof. Waseem Akram, officers of WASA, Solid Waste Management Company, special branch and PITB attended the meeting.

While Commissioners and DCOs of Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Rawalpindi participated through video link. All the officers briefed the meeting regarding anti- dengue activities and surveillance carried out by their departments. Prof. Waseem Akram informed the meeting that more than 700 cases of  confirmed dengue patients have so far been reported in Karachi and on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitre lot of people will travel from Karachi to the different parts of Punjab especially Lahore , Rawalpindi and other big cities therefore, the departments should remain more vigilant to check dengue.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said that due to rains and drop in temperature, the chances of dengue larvae breeding have been increased. He directed that anti dengue activities should be carry-on vigorously to eradicate hot spots of dengue. Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik while taking note of the special branch report regarding stagnant water and wild growth in BHU of Wahgah town and directed EDO Health Lahore to take immediate steps for dewatering and removing wild growth from the BHU.

He also directed the officers of WASA and Solid Waste Management Company to take special measures for drainage of water and disposal of solid waste during rainy season. Kh. Salman Rafique directed that dengue surveillance activities should be accelerated in Sheikhupura and Rawalpindi.