In the wake of expected outbreak of dengue in February, the Punjab government has chalked out a micro planning, on the pattern of polio campaign, for control of dengue virus in the province, and the process of vector surveillance and larviciding has been started in a more effective and organised manner.
Punjab Health Department will also impart training to doctors and health experts of Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in dengue surveillance, dengue response, and patient management, so that treatment to dengue patients could be provided at local level, sources said.
Punjab Health Secretary Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, while presiding over a meeting regarding dengue control, directed that two rounds of larvae surveillance and larviciding at district level should be completed before February 10, for the effective control of dengue virus, and door-to-door campaign, through lady health workers, for promoting awareness in the people, especially women, regarding dengue virus should also be continued.
Special Health Secretary Dawood Khan Bareach, District Co-ordination Officer Lahore Ahad Khan Cheema, Director General Health Punjab Dr Muhammad Aslam Chaudhry, Chairperson of Dengue Expert Advisory Group Faisal Masood, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Anwar Janjua, Principal Nishter Medical College Professor Inam, Deans of Institutes of Public Health Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and senior officers of other districts attended the meeting.
District Co-ordination Officer Lahore Ahad Cheema gave a briefing to the meeting regarding preventive measures taken against dengue. The Health Secretary also directed that a workshop of 'master trainers', who have recently returned from training in Thailand and Sri Lanka, should immediately be arranged at the Institute of Public Health (IPH) for providing them necessary guidelines, while 'master trainers' should provide training to other staff at district level. He directed IPH Dean to monitor training at district level.
Chairperson of Dengue Expert Advisory Group Dr Faisal Masood informed the meeting that training of doctors of all teaching hospitals in patient management has been completed and guidelines have also been given to private practitioners after their training regarding treatment of patients. He stressed the need for evolving an effective system for collecting authentic data on dengue patients from general practitioners and family physicians. The Health Secretary directed Punjab Information Technology Board to develop software for online case reporting system by January 15 so that complete data could be collected from private practitioners. He further directed that measures should be taken, on immediate basis, for removing shortage of sanitary supervisors and other staff.
Moreover, Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) organised a dengue awareness seminar here at Race Course Park. Lahore Commissioner Jawad Rafique presided over the meeting while among others DG PHA Abdul Jabbar Shaheen, DCO Lahore Ahad Cheema and DG Health Service Dr Aslam Chaudhry addressed. The Commissioner acknowledged the role of PHA in dengue prevention. He stressed that gardeners of PHA are required to play a role in dengue prevention.