In the wake of an increase in the number of dengue cases, Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal on Saturday directed the health department to make all necessary arrangements in hospitals, besides asking the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to check health facilities in their areas.
He issued this direction while presiding over a meeting at the Civil Secretariat.
The meeting reviewed the measures being taken to control dengue in the province.
The Chief Secretary said that it is alarming that more dengue cases have been reported this year than last year.
He said that the departments should ensure the implementation of anti-dengue SOPs, adding that the responsibility of third party validation had been assigned to the departments of local government and agriculture.
“For the eradication of dengue, the government institutions and the civil society all have to work together and the negligence of anyone can lead to the failure of joint efforts against dengue.” he maintained.
The Chief Secretary also directed the authorities to further improve the process of monitoring, surveillance and case response of dengue.
He urged the citizens to supplement the government’s efforts to overcome dengue by ensuring cleanliness and removing standing water from rooftops and other places within homes. He said that a special campaign should be started to raise awareness about dengue.
The officials of the health department gave a detailed briefing to the meeting.
They said that 256 confirmed cases of dengue and two deaths have been reported in the province so far this year.
They mentioned that 519 cases have been registered over violation of dengue SOPs in a week. The meeting was attended by the Chairman P&D, administrative secretaries of health, local government, environment and officers concerned while all the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link.
