Special Dengue Squads intensified its efforts to eradicate dengue outbreak as dengue larvae has been reported on 21 locations of the provincial capital on Wednesday.
Under special directives of Deputy Commissioner Lahore Rafia Haider, dengue teams have been re-activated for field monitoring and destroyed larvae on the spot, reported on some locations. According to a spokesman of the DC office, some 21 cases were confirmed last year, while dengue larvae were destroyed from 1913 places of the city during the same period. Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider said that in addition to Dengue field teams, allied departments are also actively involved in in-door and out-door surveillance and checking on vacant plots, containers, indoor coolers, garbage dumps, and water tanks are being ensured. Immediate actions are being taken wherever Dengue larvae are found and dengue teams focus on hotspots, high-risk areas for special coverage, she added. The DC urged the citizens to cooperate with dengue teams and also advised to keep their homes, surroundings, and outdoor environments clean and tidy.
District Emergency Committee for Anti-dengue meeting was held under the chairmanship of Additional Deputy Commissioner Headquarter Arshad Wattoo at his office here on Wednesday. District heads of all concerned departments participated in the meeting. The Chief Executive Officer Health Dr Aslam Asad gave briefing regarding current situation of dengue in the district. He said that only one case of dengue was reported in the district so far, adding that the dengue vector surveillance teams eliminated dengue larvae at 36 locations. Digital Video Recorder Resolution, Third Party Verification activities and dengue Hotspot coverage were conducted across the district, he said. The ADC Headquarter directed the officer concerned to make sure hundred percent implementation on Standard Operating Procedures set for dengue elimination in the district. Provincial Minister Primary and Secondary Healthcare Kh. Imran Nazir said that for how long the health department will have to clean people’s house coolers to prevent dengue, citizens will have to take responsibility themselves. He said that in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Multan surveillance activities will have to be increased.
Although dengue cases are not being reported, the system should be made effective to prevent them. He said that the Punjab government is committed to providing medicines and other medical facilities in the district and tehsil hospitals. Kh. Imran Nazir urged the district administration to lead the Punjab drug control teams in the ongoing crackdown against spurious drugs in the province.
On this occasion, Provincial Health Minister Kh. Salman Rafique said that all departments should play their role to prevent all infectious and epidemic diseases. He said that he will soon start a media campaign for the awareness of the people regarding the prevention of diseases.
He said that on the occasion of Eid, the cleaning of all the graveyards of the cities should be ensured. Provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat said that no system is successful unless there is continuity in it. He said that the education department is ready to use its human resources to prevent infectious diseases.
