LAHORE: The first meeting of the Provincial Cabinet Committee on Infectious Diseases including Dengue was held at the Civil Secretariat which was jointly chaired by Provincial Ministers Kh. Salman Rafique, Kh. Imran Nazir, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman and Rana Sikandar Hayat and Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, to review the situation of dengue and other infectious diseases.
Secretary Health Ali Jan Khan gave a detailed briefing on infectious and epidemic diseases.
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.
Provincial Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman said that human resource training will provide possible resources for disease prevention.
Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman said that all the secretaries should ensure the implementation of the decisions made in the meeting.
He directed the health department to devise an effective and modern plan of action to prevent polio, dengue and other diseases. Heads of various departments, commissioners, deputy commissioners participated in the meeting through video link.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024