In the wake of threat of dengue outbreak, the Punjab government has sought close liaison between federal departments and Punjab health department for effective control of dengue and also offered all out technical co-operation and guidelines to the federal departments for this purpose.
Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Kh Salman Rafique chaired a meeting with senior officers of the federal government departments here on Wednesday. Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Aamir Sohail Mirza, senior officers of the concerned provincial departments, Director General Health Punjab Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Additional Secretary Health (Technical) Dr Salman Shahid, Incharge Chief Minister's Dengue Research Cell Professor Dr Wasim Akram also present in the meeting.
Khawaja Salman said that close liaison between federal departments and Punjab health department is essential for effective control of dengue. Health department Punjab is ready to provide all out technical co-operation and guidelines to the Federal Departments for this purpose, he said.
The officers of Pakistan Railways, Wapda, Sui Northern Gas, Election Commission Lahore, NHA, State Bank of Pakistan, Nespak, National Savings, Pakistan Postal Service, Supreme Court, the Accountant General Punjab, Pakistan Cricket Control Board, Pakistan Hockey Federation, State Life, PIA, Motorway Police and other agencies attended the meeting. Additional Director General Health Vector Born Disease Dr Islam Zafar briefed the meeting about the present dengue situation and steps taken for dengue control.
Additional Chief Secretary Punjab stressed the need for further enhancing co-operation between Federal and Provincial departments so that collective efforts could be made to face the challenge. He said that federal departments should ensure implementation of SOPs of dengue control in their premises and employees colonies for removing dengue hot spots. He urged that a massive awareness campaign should be launched by the federal government departments for their employees and the residents of their housing colonies for which provincial government is ready to provide all kind of literature and awareness material.
Kh Salman Rafique asked the officers of Pakistan Railways to ensure sweeping in the railways workshops and redundant train bogies standing in Gulberg Town area. He also stressed the need for dewatering and removing of solid waste from the railways premises to control dengue breeding.
Director General Health Punjab Dr Zahid Pervaiz said the Punjab Health Department is ready to provide co-operation for the treatment of dengue patients coming to federal government hospitals. Director General Health Wapda appreciated the efforts and steps taken by the provincial government for controlling dengue. All the participants of the meeting assured full co-operation to the Punjab government, especially Health Department for the control of dengue.
Moreover, chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Dengue, Kh Salman Rafique directed the officers of all departments concerned to personally monitor dengue surveillance teams to improve their performance. He also directed WASA and PHA to dewater water bodies which have been developed after heavy rains.
The officers of Health Department, schools education, higher education, information & culture, auqaf, agriculture, irrigation, fisheries, social welfare, environment, DG PITB, LDA, Lahore Waste Management Company, district officers of Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Multan apprised the meeting of dengue control activities, awareness campaigns, seminars, walks, removal of solid waste, dewatering of ponds and the arrangements made for the treatment of dengue patients in government hospitals.
It was informed that during current year, 32 confirmed dengue cases have been reported whereas in the previous year (2013) 100 confirmed dengue patients were reported till September 9. Addressing the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary Aamir Sohail Mirza directed to convene short meetings of all Town Emergency Response Committees in the evening on daily basis. He said that besides town administrator, all senior officers should ensure their presence in the meeting and review the performance of their surveillance teams on daily basis. The meeting was informed that after reopening of schools and colleges zero periods have again been started and the programme of holding seminars and walks has also been ensured.
Salman Rafique directed officers concerned to remove the grass from graveyards which has grown up after rains. He directed the Auqaf Department to remove room coolers from the mosques as 52 percent of total detected larva was found in room coolers. Salman Rafique directed the scrapped vehicles parked under open sky in the Rawalpindi Police Lines should immediately be removed. Professor Dr Muhammad Ali of Dengue Expert Advisory Group informed the meeting that the training of doctors in patient management has been conducted at Services Institute of Medical Sciences. DG PITB Amir Chaudhry informed that more than one million anti-dengue activities have been uploaded at the dash board so far. Moreover, the complaints received at the health-line are also been addressed.