Senior doctors and consultants have been made duty bound to examine dengue patients twice a day (morning/evening). This was stated by Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique while talking to media after visiting Mayo Hospital and Services Hospital to inquire after the health of dengue patients here on Thursday.
Kh Salman Rafique visited each patient in dengue ward individually and inquired about the treatment facilities extended to them. He also obtained information regarding their profession and residential address so that the nature of dengue fever could be assessed.
The senior doctors of both the hospitals briefed him about the condition of the patients. Kh Salman Rafique directed the officers of Health Department to ensure implementation on SOPs of dengue case response and conduct Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) in and around 40 houses of the patients to control spread of dengue fever.
Chief of Dengue Research Cell Dr Waseem Akram said although due to the decreasing temperature the incidence of larva in open places is minimised still due to the pleasant temperature inside the houses dengue mosquito can refuge in bedrooms, stores, kitchen and other places; therefore, residents should remove all hotspots of dengue from their houses. He said only effective weapon against dengue is to take preventive measures and for this purpose vigorous awareness campaign is going on in Punjab through media.
He further said Chief Minister is personally monitoring the steps taken by different departments for eradication of dengue and every morning he reviews the dengue status in Punjab especially Lahore, Rawalpindi and Sheikhupura as these districts are badly affected by the dengue virus.
He said public representatives, government officers and other agencies are apprising the Chief Minister about the steps taken in the meeting on every morning at 8.00am. He said special instructions have been issued to all hospitals to implement the guidelines of Dengue Experts Advisory Group in the treatment of dengue patients. He said vector surveillance has also been improved and additional staff has been deputed for indoor dengue surveillance. Kh Salman Rafique said "we have to change our lifestyle for effective control on dengue and community should play its due role enthusiastically." He hoped that as the weather is changing the dengue condition would visibly improve during next two weeks.